Gianluigi Buffon

[Socrates 8386]

 

 

 

 

‘Buffon not bothered by Ballon d’Or’

 

 

 

http://www.football-italia.net/102074/‘buffon-not-bothered-ballon-d’or’

 

 

May 4, 2017

Tifosibianconeri English page - CLICK HERE

 

Gianluigi Buffon’s agent says the Ballon d’Or “isn’t an obsession” for the Juventus man - “whether he deserves it is another matter…”

 

The Italy captain has never won the award, and wasn’t even nominated in 2015, despite winning the domestic double and reaching the Champions League final.

 

“For Buffon, the talking is always on the pitch, there isn’t much more to add,” Silvano Martina shrugged, speaking to Tuttomercatoweb.

 

“He’s a force of nature, even at 39 he still makes the difference like no other goalkeeper. He has qualities which I don’t see in any other number ones.

 

“The Ballon d’Or? If he wins it, he wins it. If he doesn’t win it, he doesn’t. It’s not an obsession for him, it doesn’t change anything in a career which speaks for itself.

 

“Then whether he deserves it is another matter…”

[Socrates 8386]

 

 

 

 

Toldo: ‘Buffon always improving’

 

 

 

http://www.football-italia.net/102079/toldo-‘buffon-always-improving’

 

 

May 4, 2017

Tifosibianconeri English page - CLICK HERE

 

Francesco Toldo puts Gianluigi Buffon’s longevity down to “his constant desire to improve”.

 

The Juventus goalkeeper played his 100th Champions League match last night in the 2-0 win over Monaco, and has been playing in Serie A for over 20 years.

 

“We were together for six or seven seasons,” Toldo explained to Tuttomercatoweb.

 

“What has to be underlined is his great concentration, in every game, in every phase of the game. He wants the objective at all costs, you can see it in his face.

 

“He always has the maximum competitive spirit, and that’s how it should be.

 

“His longevity? There’s no real secret, but I guess it’s all about his constant desire to improve. It’s that desire which keeps you going.

 

“That’s how I think it is, and it seems to me that he has also said that.”

[Socrates 8386]

 

 

 

 

Buffon: ‘Superga vandalism inhumane’

 

 

 

http://www.football-italia.net/102087/buffon-‘superga-vandalism-inhumane’

 

 

May 4, 2017

Tifosibianconeri English page - CLICK HERE

 

Juventus captain Gianluigi Buffon condemns the “inhumane” vandalism of the Superga monument to il Grande Torino.

 

Today marks the anniversary of the plane crash which killed the Granata’s greatest ever side, who had won five Scudetti in a row.

 

Yesterday though, it emerged that someone had vandalised the road up to the monument which stands on the site of the tragedy.

 

“On a beautiful post-victory day, my thoughts are with our Toro cousins,” Buffon wrote on his Facebook page.

 

“With their fans, and those glorious players who brought pride to the nation and to the Granata faithful.

 

“Eternal honour to you, the champions of the Grande Torino, and forgive those who are guilty of unqualifiable acts, which deride or disrespect you even today after almost 70 years have passed.

 

“The dead are the dead, and are not bothering anyone. They must be left in peace and respected.

 

“The dead have wives, children and grandchildren and to inflict on them a terrible second suffering, beyond what they have already suffered, is inhumane.

 

“Rivarly, tribalism, sport… Life gives you a lot of feelings, some of them noble and some of them maybe a little less so.

 

“But when you write indecorous or inappropriate banners, probably without full awareness, you are more dead than the dead.

 

“To see our 39 angels of Heysel tortured even today provokes anger and disgust in me, don’t let us succumb to the same faults.

 

“We are men, we need to distinguish ourselves if we want to sow something lasting and constructive for humanity which is plagued.

 

“We can’t be content to be mediocre and vile just to make up for a slight in the here and now.

 

“In some situations it’s better to be a victim than to be the tormentors, because the tormentors will be condemned by life to crawl through the Hell of their vacuous existence.

 

“The victims will suffer in the moment, but then they will realise that being different from their tormentors will give them the strength and security to base their lives on authentic values and become bearers of beauty, conscience, respect and loyalty; without foreclosing on any competition or rivalry.

 

“Juve fans, I turn to you because I know that I can after all that we’ve shared together.

 

“Juve fans, allow me to be really proud of you because if we think about and really believe in what ‘lo stile Juve’ represents, and the absolute values which characterise us, it’s inconceivable to traduce and violate the feelings of those who have suffered and are still suffering.

 

“We do not insult affection, sentiments and memories.

 

“A hug to all of those who believe that even - and especially - in sports, it’s necessary to be men of honour.

 

“Today, tomorrow, always and forever: fino alla fine.”

[Socrates 8386]

 

 

 

 

Buffon: ‘Morata move a disappointment’

 

 

 

http://www.football-italia.net/102142/buffon-‘morata-move-disappointment’

 

 

May 5, 2017

Tifosibianconeri English page - CLICK HERE

 

Gianluigi Buffon admits “it was a disappointment for me” when Real Madrid bought Alvaro Morata back from Juventus.

 

The striker spent two seasons with the Bianconeri, but the original deal which took him to Turin contained a buyback clause, which Los Merengues activated last summer.

 

“It took him a couple of months to adapt, it’s normal,” Buffon told Real Madrid TV.

 

“He learned perfectly how to move on an Italian pitch and it’s different to in Spain. Juventus play in a different way to Real Madrid.

 

“His transfer? It was a disappointment for me, because he possesses great talent and is at an age where he can mature definitively and consecrate himself.

 

“He could have become the main man for Juventus. Fate has rewarded him, that’s how life is, if you conduct yourself well you will get satisfaction.

 

“All lads who aren’t mature yet live various situations to the extreme. They live with great joy or with great depression if things aren’t going well.

 

“Alvaro had some negative thoughts in his last period at Juve, we talked about it a bit because I felt sorry for him, he was a lad I really liked and I wanted to help him and give him security.

 

“He deserved the help of a teammate, and I have huge affection for him.

 

“His best goal? The one in the Coppa Italia final.”

[Socrates 8386]

 

 

 

 

Buffon: Winning Champions League

like winning the World Cup for me

 

 

Club captain speaks ahead of return leg of

Champions League semi final tomorrow

 

 

http://www.blackwhitereadallover.com/2017/5/8/15580670/gianluigi-buffon-

winning-champions-league-like-winning-world-cup-juventus-monaco-preview

 

 

May 8, 2017

Tifosibianconeri English page - CLICK HERE

 

Juventus take on Monaco tomorrow in the second leg of the Champions League semi-final, leading 2-0 on aggregate from the away leg last week. Ahead of the pivotal game, club captain Gianluigi Buffon spoke with the media about the game, tournament and more.

Speaking about Monaco, he said -

“I’ll let you into a little secret. Around the 30-minute mark of their match away to Manchester City, I sent a message to one of our directors, saying: ‘Hey, this lot could make it to the final; they’re really strong!’

“That shows you how much respect we have for them. They play positive, energetic football and they’re a sparkling, physical side with quality players and a lot of experience.

“We know that if we want to get another shot at winning the Champions League, we have to overcome an obstacle that’ll be at least as tricky as Barcelona in footballing terms.”

The fact that he is here at this stage is a tribute to his longevity -

“I was thinking the other day that I’ve managed to span almost three generations. When I started playing, you still had guys born in the end of the ‘50s and the ‘60s –and I’ll finish with guys born in the 2000s.

“It’s a huge span of time! It’s nice knowing that I’m playing with the future Messis, Cristiano Ronaldos and Neymars, because in 10 years, after I have been retired for a while, they will be confirmed superstars and I’ll remember facing them at the dawn of their careers.”

Buffon has played in two Finals before this, and has been unfortunate to be on the losing side of both.

“There’s definitely a desire to make up for losing the final in Berlin [to Barcelona in 2015], but I also have to make amends for Manchester in 2003 [when Juventus lost to AC Milan on penalties], so going back through the years my motivation is a lot deeper.

“In 2015, we lost it at a moment when Barcelona were on the ropes. We let in a goal almost on the counterattack: Messi hammered a shot on goal, I diverted it and Suárez scored.

“Losing on penalties in 2003 was very painful, but since I was only 25, I was fairly calm because I was convinced I’d win many more!

“That’s the exuberance of youth. I was so close to winning it on that occasion; they missed three penalties in that final – I saved two of them. Strange things happen.

“It wasn’t meant to be and we weren’t good enough. In sport and life, those who deserve it more probatbly end up getting their rewards.”

On what it would mean to make it into the Final again, and win it this time -

“After the return leg against Barcelona this season I was very happy, of course, but I did not celebrate too much, because I know that after a certain point you either win the trophy or get disappointed.

“And since I have been disappointed so many times, I want to get the victory before allowing myself to celebrate!

It would mean a lot for me. It would be the greatest joy of my career, together with the [2006] World Cup, because it would almost be a reward – the end of a very difficult road paved by bravery, stubbornness and hard work.

“I have always wanted to win it and I have always been convinced that I can do it together with my team, the fans, my colleagues.

“That would be great – we can talk about it later if it happens!”

[Socrates 8386]

 

 

 

The most loved player in football? Why everyone

wants Buffon to finally win the Champions League

 

 

The Juventus ace has lost two previous finals, so neutrals everywhere would

rejoice if one of the game's good guys finally got his hands on the trophy.

 

 

http://www.goal.com/en/news/8/main/2017/05/09/35347832/-

 

 

May 9, 2017

 

Tifosibianconeri English page - CLICK HERE

 

 

While several of his Juventus team-mates were left ecstatic by eliminating Barcelona from the Champions League at Camp Nou last month, Gianluigi Buffon's celebrations were more reserved.

 

For the captain, it was nothing more than an important step on a road that he hopes will end with him lifting the trophy in Cardiff on June 3. Buffon knows better than most that sometimes the longer the journey, the more devastating the pain of defeat.

 

When the Italy international played in his first Champions League final, against AC Milan in 2003, he was disappointed but consoled himself with the thought that it was just the first of several opportunities to win the biggest prize in club football. However, he only made the tournament decider again 12 years later. Thus, Juve's 3-1 loss to Barcelona in Berlin hit him hard.

 

"Losing on penalties to Milan was very painful, but since I was only 25, I was fairly calm because I was convinced I’d win many more!" the 39-year-old told UEFA's official website this week. "That’s the exuberance of youth...

 

“After the return leg against Barcelona this season I was very happy, of course, but I did not celebrate too much, because I know that after a certain point you either win the trophy or get disappointed.

 

“And since I have been disappointed so many times, I want to get the victory before allowing myself to celebrate!"

 

 

However, Buffon is on the verge of a third appearance in the final, with Juve 2-0 up going into the home leg of their last-four tie with Monaco in Turin on Tuesday.

 

There would arguably be no more popular winner in football. Indeed, there are few more popular figures within the game.

 

Indeed, Petr Cech spoke for many back in 2015 when he admitted that it is difficult for any neutral to remain on the fence when it comes to Buffon's dream of winning of the Champions League.

 

"Let the best team win," the Czech wrote on Twitter, "but I would love to see 'The Maestro' with the cup in hands."

 

For Cech, no other goalkeeper has had a bigger impact on him. "Oliver Kahn, Peter Schmeichel and Edwin van der Sar inspired me early in my career," he explained. "Each of them had something inspiring because they were all different characters.

 

"Then Buffon appeared and changed everything."

 

 

Iker Casillas also openly admits that he looked up to the Carrara native, while Manuel Neuer calls him his "role model". He is the No.1s' No.1 and continues to set the standard by which all other shot-stoppers are judged.

 

Indeed, it is fitting that, 16 years after his €53 million move from Parma to Juventus, Buffon remains the most expensive goalkeeper in the world - because he remains the best goalkeeper in the world. For example, it is now 621 minutes and counting since he last conceded a Champions League goal.

 

The 39-year-old's professionalism sets him apart. Andrea Pirlo once admitted that he just used to enjoy watching him train, while Francesco Toldo says the key to his former team-mate's remarkable longevity is a desire to learn that has never been sated, no matter how many titles he wins.

 

Buffon's popularity among his peers, though, goes beyond his admirable dedication to his craft. He may be a goalkeeping god, a footballing deity regularly referred to as 'San Gigi', but he is respected most for his humanity.

 

Last week, when he would have been forgiven for basking in the glory of a performance in Monte Carlo that Monaco boss Leonardo Jardim described as "incredible", Buffon was dismayed by the news that the road up to Superga, the scene of the plane crash which claimed the lives of the 'Grande Torino' team of the 1940s, had been desecrated with offensive graffiti.

 

He was horrified by the idea that a twisted Juve fan might have been responsible; that someone might have thought it acceptable to mock the club's city rivals ahead of the 68th anniversary of the disaster.

 

"Juve fans, allow me to be really proud of you because if we think about and really believe in what ‘Lo stile Juve’ ('The Juve style') represents, and the absolute values which characterise us, it’s inconceivable to traduce and violate the feelings of those who have suffered and are still suffering," he wrote on his Facebook page.

 

"We do not insult affection, sentiments and memories.

 

"A hug to all of those who believe that even - and especially - in sports, it’s necessary to be men of honour."

 

Few players have done more to ensure that honour, sportsmanship and basic human decency remain a part of a game that has been so widely corrupted by avarice, cynicism and racism.

 

Buffon knows well just how brutal and unforgiving a place the world of football can be and it was unsurprising that it was he who had come to Alvaro Morata's aid when the Real Madrid striker was going through a particularly tough period during his time at Juve.

 

“All lads who aren’t mature yet live various situations to the extreme," Buffon said. "They live with great joy or with great depression if things aren’t going well.

 

“Alvaro had some negative thoughts in his last period at Juve. We talked about it a bit because I felt so sorry for him, he was a lad I really liked and I wanted to help him and give him reassurance.

 

“He deserved the help of a team-mate."

 

 

Morata has never forgotten it, bringing it up in a recent interview, and the pair could easily come face to face again in Wales next month.

Morata will obviously do everything he can to help Real Madrid defend their continental crown but, just like everyone else with a love of the beautiful game, the Spanish striker would hardly begrudge a first Champions League title to a man he sees as a father figure.

 

Buffon mused on Monday, "In sport and life, those who deserve it more probably end up getting their just rewards." It would be nice if one of football's good guys gets the reward he deserves in Cardiff.

[Socrates 8386]

 

 

 

Gigi the GOAT

 

 

If there is someone out there who doesn’t admire and respect Gigi Buffon, both as a

goalkeeper and a man, then Susy Campanale thinks they are deeply wrong.

 

 

http://www.football-italia.net/102305/gigi-goat

 

 

May 9, 2017

 

Tifosibianconeri English page - CLICK HERE

 

You often see the term ‘GOAT’ appear on social media now and, after realising it doesn’t refer to a bovid, it is regularly bandied about for those who in no conceivable way can be considered the Greatest Of All Time. That is a huge expanse of history to cover and only one coveted spot in their particular niche. There can only be one GOAT. Having said all that, in terms of goalkeepers, it’s Gianluigi Buffon.

You may disagree with this statement. Here is why you are wrong. Buffon has been at the top of the sport for well over 20 years, parrying shots from the brightest talents who weren’t even born when he was already at a World Cup. There are few more reactive shot-stoppers out there even now, let alone in his prime, and despite all the praise of Manuel Neuer’s sweeper-keeper antics, you may have noticed that SuperGigi is also excellent with the ball at his feet. He doesn’t run out to midfield every 10 minutes because there is no need to. That’s what defences and Leonardo Bonucci are for.

Above all else, Buffon has grown to become a true captain and great man who anyone in football should appreciate. His post-match comments are always respectful, humble and avoid the banal soundbites we have to deal with after every other game. He speaks in complete sentences and has a point to get across, not muttering just for the sake of it. When there’s a crisis, he is the man you want to rally the troops and get everyone focused. When his teammates risk getting ahead of themselves, Gigi’s old head will talk them back down to earth, because he’s seen and done it all.

As for the ridiculous ‘scandals’ that people try to point to, they are non-existent. The idea he had far-right leanings were borne from misunderstandings and his own self-confessed ignorance. He didn’t know the motto ‘Boia chi molla’ (Those who give up are killing the cause) was a Fascist-era slogan. He probably couldn’t have known, as back then he was a teenager and we didn’t have Wikipedia to look this stuff up. Dark times, people. Dark, dark times… He placed a few bets on games he wasn’t involved in, which at that time was not against the rules. Big deal. He even went through an entirely amicable divorce with no splashy headlines or kiss-and-tell stories. Buffon insults nobody, disrespects nobody and disowns Juventus fans for Superga graffiti.

No doubt someone will have now noted ‘well he hasn’t lifted the Champions League or the Ballon d’Or, has he?’ The Ballon d’Or is like the Oscar for Best Director – rarely goes to the right person and is clearly voted for by those who have seen about three films that year, but know the big name, especially if he’s a striker.

It’s a team sport and only one side in all of Europe can win that trophy per year. Winning a World Cup is harder and he’s achieved that – for Italy, I might add, but being an Azzurri legend apparently doesn’t warrant respect from fans who can’t see past the Juventus shirt. Italian football gets criticised enough without us calcio supporters actively hoping another club loses in Europe.

It pains me to see people snipe at Buffon with images of Andriy Shevchenko’s 2003 Champions League-winning penalty. What tiny, pathetic creatures to do such a thing. What futile little trolls. I support Milan and screamed louder than anyone when that spot-kick went in, but I know football is about winning, not relishing the tears of your opponents. If you haven’t learned that yet, well, then grow up. Be more like Gianluigi Buffon. It can only be an improvement.

[Socrates 8386]

 

 

 

Gianluigi Buffon determined to lift Champions League title

 

 

 

http://www.sportsmole.co.uk/football/juventus/champions-league

/news/buffon-determined-to-lift-cl-title_297863.html

 

 

May 10, 2017

 

Tifosibianconeri English page - CLICK HERE

 

Juventus goalkeeper Gianluigi Buffon has revealed that he is desperate to land his first Champions League title after losing two European Cup finals with the Italian giants.

Buffon was part of the Juventus team that lost in the final of the competition in both 2003 and 2015, but the Italian will have another chance of European glory this season after helping his team overcome AS Monaco in the semi-finals.

Buffon, however, has said that "reaching the final counts for nothing", as he targets his first ever European Cup.

"It was damn difficult, regardless of winning 2-0 in the first leg. If we had come with an arrogant approach, we would have experienced some very difficult moments," Buffon told Mediaset Premium.

"We still did, but when you've got the right mentality, you can overcome those obstacles. We are in the final, but now reaching the final counts for nothing.

"I am very happy, because I've got here in good shape and if I wasn't in a big club and with great teammates, I would never have come back into the Champions League final.

"Two years ago everyone assumed it was my last Champions League final, and I thought that too, but you have to keep believing in your dreams."

Juventus will take on either Atletico Madrid or Real Madrid in the final, with the Madrid duo preparing to meet in the second leg of their semi-final on Wednesday night.

[Socrates 8386]

 

 

 

Materazzi: Buffon for Ballon d’Or

 

 

 

http://www.football-italia.net/102482/materazzi-buffon-ballon-d’or

 

 

May 12, 2017

 

Tifosibianconeri English page - CLICK HERE

 

Marco Materazzi claims Gianluigi Buffon should win the Ballon d’Or. “He’s still the same as at the World Cup, when you couldn’t score against him in training.”

 

Materazzi and Buffon formed part of the Italy team that lifted the World Cup in 2006, and the former Inter defender believes the Juventus veteran deserves to become the first goalkeeper named the world’s best player in the modern era.

 

“I think Juventus have more chance of winning because they’re more of a team and they have an incredible ruthlessness about them,” he told Gazzetta dello Sport, reflecting on the Bianconeri’s Champions League final against Real Madrid on June 3.

 

“But they mustn’t think about lost finals. The change of formation was the turning point in their season.

 

“It was a brilliant piece of intuition from Allegri, which will put even Cristiano Ronaldo and co. in trouble.

 

“Then there’s Buffon: he’s still the same as at the 2006 World Cup, when you couldn’t even score against him in training.

 

“I’d be happy if he won. He deserves the Ballon d’Or.

 

“They are two teams at opposite ends of the spectrum: solidity against fantasy and unpredictability.

 

“Whoever wins will tell us what the winning philosophy is now.

 

“But look at the defences because both teams have incredible attacking potential.

 

“Who will be decisive? It’s too easy to say CR7 [Ronaldo] on one hand and Higuain-Dybala on the other.

 

“But the goalkeepers will also prove decisive. They’ll be very busy…”

[Socrates 8386]

 

 

Italy legend Buffon takes to video

to wish Lahm well on retirement

 

 

The Juventus keeper sent a video message congratulating him

on a successful and “fair” career that came to an end on Saturday

 

 

http://www.goal.com/en/news/8/main/2017/05/20/35686702/-

 

 

May 20, 2017

 

Juventus keeper Gianluigi Buffon has sent a video message to the retired Philipp Lahm, congratulating him on his accomplishments and saying it was a “big honor” to face him.

 

The Bayern Munich defender played his final game of an illustrious career in his side’s 4-1 win over Freiburg, which capped off another title-winning Bundesliga campaign for the club.

 

And Buffon took to video to offer his best wishes to 33-year-old Lahm, who he last met on a competitive field in the 2015-16 Champions League round of 16, where Lahm and Bayern knocked out Buffon and Juventus 6-4 on aggregate.

 

In the video, posted on Bayern Munich’s twitter account, Buffon congratulated Lahm on his accomplishments, which include having won eight Bundesliga titles, six DFB-Pokal crowns, a Champions League and Club World Cup, all with Bayern Munich and a World Cup with Germany in 2014.

 

 

 

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“Dear Philipp, I hear that after winning every kind of trophy in your career, you decided to stop,” Buffon said. “Well, what I want to tell you is, for me, it’s been a big honor to play against you because every time, you were very determined but also, very fair.

 

“Good luck for the future in football or any other field of your life.”

 

The 38-year-old Buffon, who has not set any retirement date himself, will aim to add another trophy to his own impressive case when Juventus faces Real Madrid in the Champions League final on June 3.

[Socrates 8386]

 

 

 

Buffon: 'Winning is sacrifice'

 

 

http://www.football-italia.net/102918/buffon-winning-sacrifice

 

 

May 21, 2017

 

Gigi Buffon took the blame for the defeat to Roma, admitting his mind was on Real Madrid, but lifted the Scudetto trophy today. “Winning is an enormous sacrifice.”

 

The Bianconeri would’ve celebrated the title last week with a point at the Olimpico, but instead they lost 3-1 and had to defeat Crotone 3-0 today to spark the party.

 

“I thought for a whole week about the Champions League Final with Real Madrid, so I was practically on vacation in Rome and totally embarrassed myself,” the captain told Sky Sport Italia.

 

“Seeing as I don’t like embarrassing myself at the age of 39, I wanted to react. After that ugly performance, we needed to find the right energy again.”

 

This is the sixth consecutive Scudetto victory for Buffon and Juve.

 

“The first time we were the surprise outfit, from then on we started out as favourites on paper. Winning is an enormous sacrifice, because you have to work every day to improve and every draw feels like half a defeat.

 

“It becomes this addiction to winning.”

[Socrates 8386]

 

 

 

Buffon: ‘Winning isn’t easy’

 

 

http://www.football-italia.net/102945/buffon-‘winning-isn’t-easy’

 

 

May 22, 2017

 

Gianluigi Buffon insists it wasn’t easy for Juventus to win six Scudetti in a row - “we fought and we won, no-one gave us anything”.

 

The Bianconeri have also won the double for the previous three seasons, and they can make it a Treble when they take on Real Madrid in the Champions League final on June 3.

 

Today the Juve captain wrote a column for La Stampa about their triumphs so far, and hit back at those who shrug off the Old Lady’s achievements.

 

“We won. Again. For the sixth consecutive time,” Buffon wrote.

 

“A record shared with Barza [Andrea Barzagli], Chiello [Giorgio Chiellini], Leo [Bonucci], Stephan [Lichtsteiner] and Claudio [Marchisio]: The old people of the group [naturally I’m not saying old… except Andrea, he really is old].

 

“With the passing of the months, the games, the successes, many have talked about pre-announced wins, downhill paths, an easy League and manifest superiority. I don’t agree.

 

“Those who have never won anything think about making banal the hard work of those who succeed. For this sixth Scudetto there was nothing expected, foreseeable or secure.

 

“We were favourites of course, because of what we’ve built over the last five seasons.

 

“But we started from nothing, we were questioned, we fought and we won. Nobody gave us anything.

 

“Every team which faces us gives everything, everyone cheers against us. That’s normal, the strongest are always the most hated.

 

“I keep the antipathy though and leave to the others the envy for the feat which this club, all of the club, has managed to achieve.

 

“The first word I think of after each victory is ‘tomorrow’. I’m proud of the trophies I’ve won, I feel like a man of my time, but it’s that which is still waiting for me which keeps me alive and in constant motion.

 

“I’ve had more than I ever wanted from life, certainly more than I asked.

 

“In front of a new finish line, in the face of a new objective achieved, I always have the awareness of having given everything and having received - if possible - even more.

 

“It’s a backdrop of constant gratitude in life which forces me to be an optimist and pushes me to go beyond myself, beyond wins, beyond the limit.

 

“I have six Scudetti in a row, but also 10 in my career [including the two revoked in the Calciopoli scandal].

 

“Yes, 10. I’m not ashamed to say that. I won them all, on the pitch, next to the champions whose faces, fatigue and smiles I can see as I write.

 

“The FIGC, Wikipedia or the Lega [Serie A] say there are eight. I won’t discuss referees, judges or laws, but no-one can deny me the right to feel all of them.

 

“My first love was a girl I met in high school, but it was an unrequited love. But what’s important, for me, is love. Recognition in life isn’t everything.

 

“Some Vasco songs or Neruda poems feel intimately mine. I didn’t write them myself, but that’s relative because in the end as Troisi wrote in ‘Il Postino’, poetry isn’t about who writes it, but who it helps.

 

“No controversy then. No willingness to open close chapters. Just pride for what I built, won and conquered on the pitch. Never alone, always in a team!

 

“A pride which comes back to me is the summer of 2006. A hot and frenzied summer, a summer of understandable exits and an exodus which couldn’t be judged.

 

“But also a summer of conformations and a desire to change history. In fact, to write history. No-one like us. No-one before us.

 

“I’m thinking of Pavel [Nedved], Alex [Del Piero], David [Trezeguet], Camo [Mauro Camoranesi]… and then myself.

 

“We chose to stay together to honour a shirt, a club, a fanbase. We lost everything to gain things which aren’t measurable and can’t be bartered: respect, affection.

 

“Founding values for a group and a team, because without us there would be no victories, records and conquests.

 

“I don’t want to enter into the quotation dictionary, but without all those who work on the pitch and off the pitch [maybe in the shadows] to allow me to do my best, all of this wouldn’t be possible.

 

“And the most amazing this is that all of this is still not over.”

[Socrates 8386]

 

 

 

Pique: ‘Buffon deserves Ballon d’Or’

 

 

http://www.football-italia.net/102966/roma-dont-want-juve-treble

 

 

May 22, 2017

 

Gerard Pique says Gianluigi Buffon deserves the Ballon d’Or, but expects “a game with few goals” in the Champions League final between Juventus and Real Madrid.

 

The Bianconeri are looking to compete the Treble on June 3, having knocked out Barcelona in the Quarter-Finals, and the Blaugrana centre-back discussed the match.

 

“It all be a game between two great teams,” Pique told Premium Sport.

 

“Juventus are a team who have been doing very well for several years because they have great players like Buffon, who really wants to win this trophy for the first time, or our former teammate Dani Alves, and it would be nice to see him win it.

 

“It will be a game with few goals.

 

“How do you beat Real Madrid? We managed to keep hold of the ball and tried to stop them getting us on the break.

 

“Juventus will play an instinctive game, they’re stronger defensively as they showed in the two games against us where we weren’t able to score.

 

“[Giorgio] Chiellini, [Leonardo] Bonucci and [Andrea] Barzagli are very clever, it will be a great final.

 

“Are Juventus among the top clubs in Europe? Yes, absolutely. They’ve been doing well for several years, even when players change.

 

“Last year it was [Paul] Pogba, before that it was [Andrea] Pirlo and now they have [Paulo] Dybala. There’s great renewal.

 

“The Ballon d’Or? Lionel Messi is the best player in the world and in history. This year he’ll win the Golden Boot as a goalscorer and he would deserve the Ballon d’Or another time.

 

“But it would be nice if Buffon won it. He has won the Scudetto, the Coppa Italia and he could still win the Champions League.

 

“He’s deserved it for his career, for this reason and because it would be nice to see another goalkeeper win it after Lev Yashin.”

 

Pique was also asked whether he could play in Serie A one day.

 

“I’m very happy at Barcelona, and I’d like to keep playing in Blaugrana shirt. My plan is to finish my career with Barcelona.

 

“I like Italy and Italian football, but my love for Barcelona is huge. Perhaps if I hadn’t had this career with Barcelona I could have tried it, but now I don’t see myself away from Barcelona.”

 

Barça need a new Coach, could Juve’s Max Allegri be a good choice?

 

“I don’t know who our next Coach will be,” Piqué shrugged.

 

“I have a good memory of Allegri from his Milan days, and I see he’s working well at Juve. I don’t know who our next Coach will be though.”

[Socrates 8386]

 

 

 

Meret to be Buffon backup?

 

 

http://www.football-italia.net/103001/meret-be-buffon-backup

 

 

May 23, 2017

 

It’s reported Juventus will bid for Alex Meret, with a view to making him Gianluigi Buffon’s successor.

 

The Udinese goalkeeper is seen as one of the most promising young Italian ‘keepers, and spent this season on loan at SPAL.

 

According to Gazzetta dello Sport, Neto is likely to leave the Old Lady this summer, leaving a space on the bench as Buffon’s backup.

 

The Italy and Juve captain is planning to retire at the end of next season, and it’s thought the Bianconeri will look to sign Meret as his backup, with a view to eventually replacing the 39-year-old.

[Socrates 8386]

 

 

 

Vialli: ‘Buffon symbol of Juventus’

 

 

http://www.football-italia.net/103002/vialli-‘buffon-symbol-juventus’

 

 

May 23, 2017

 

Gianluca Vialli believes Gianluigi Buffon “represents everything that it means to be Juventus”.

 

The Bianconeri confirmed their sixth Scudetto in a row at the weekend, and the goalkeeper has been present for all of them.

 

“I take my hat off to Juve,” Vialli told La Stampa.

 

“The club, the players, the Coach [Max Allegri]. The club hasn’t made a mistake in all these years, the took the right players at the right time and gave them what they needed to give their best.

 

“The group responded in a big way, and the six lads who won all of the Scudetti - Buffon, Barzagli, Bonucci, Chiellini, Lichtsteiner and Marchisio - deserve to enter the Italian football hall of fame.

 

“Allegri? He had a very complicated job, when he replaced [Antonio] Conte he had everything to lose, he’s done really well to analyse every situation.

 

“He’s managed the group in a fantastic way, because winning all the time and being hungry like those who have never won is the most difficult thing.

 

“As for Buffon, he’s the symbol of these Scudetti. He’s a reference point, someone you’d always want by your side.

 

“He represents everything it means to be Juve: hunger, humility, ruthlessness, a sense of belonging. Even at 39.”

[Socrates 8386]

 

 

 

Why I’m a fan of Juventus

 

 

http://www.blackwhitereadallover.com/2017/

5/25/15687594/why-im-a-fan-of-juventus

 

 

May 25, 2017

 

 

As a youngster growing up here in the United States, every time the Eurosport catalog arrived in the mail was like the new wave of cars hitting the lot. It was before internet was fast enough where streaming games became routine, so access to watching games for yours truly wasn’t nearly what it is like these days.

Each section of the catalog had different pictures of players. Seeing as it was the early 2000s, it was a world filled with David Beckham, Thierry Henry and the likes. But, being Italian and being a goalkeeper in high school, I didn’t necessarily care much for them.

It was Gigi Buffon that drew me in as a looked over the latest lot of keeper equipment. It was right after he signed with Juventus from Parma for what is still a world-record fee for a goalkeeper. Buffon ... Juventus ... amazing goalkeeper ... what else could a 14-year-old kid want in a club to start getting interested in, right?

From there, I was hooked.

Some folks have grown up in Juventus families that go back generations. Some fans have rooted for their favorite team in Turin because it came natural. For me, it was because of one player in a equipment catalog. It all started with a picture of Buffon next to a bunch of goalkeeper gloves and jerseys I had no chance of buying. He was decked out in a pink and black Juventus keeper kit like you see to the right, with those same brand of Puma gloves that he wears now.

Photo by Stu Forster/Getty Images

Like many people, Buffon was the goalkeeper I wanted to be. I bought the Puma gloves that I probably couldn’t afford because that’s what Buffon wore. I slicked my hair back because that’s what Buffon did. He was the guy to model your game after. Like so many young goalkeepers in Italy talk about these days, he was the guy to look up to and try to emulate.

But the more I learned about Buffon, the more I learned about the club he still plays for as he’s approaching his 40th birthday.

You learn about the history. You learn about the trophies and the players who have become those who are currently wearing the fabled black and white stripes. You learn about how the club came about — and this was long before Juventus Stadium wasn’t even a thought and Alessandro Del Piero was sitting with Giampiero Boniperti on the little park bench telling us about Juve’s origins on opening night of Turin’s new footballing fortress.

Juventus isn’t about just one player or one season. We can point to the 35 Scudetti and smile. We can point to the 12 Coppa Italia titles and smile. We can point to the Ballon d’Or winners, the legends that graced the Delle Apli or the Stadio Olimpico and smile. Even when somebody leaves via transfer, what is it that we always seem to say? “Nobody is as big as the club itself.”

Obviously the last six years have been fantastic when it comes to winning. And there would probably only be a couple of things I’d want to see changed — you know, like a certain result against Barcelona in Berlin around this time two years — from over the entire six-year run. But what has been most important has been the Juventus spirit, that wonderful grinta, being re-instilled. Antonio Conte started it, Max Allegri has continued it. No matter who has played, no matter what formation is being used, Juventus and its grinta returned when the 2010-11 season started and it hasn’t left.

That’s what I love about Juventus. It starts with the passion, and there’s nobody better than showing how they feel on the field than Buffon.

Photo by Richard Heathcote/Getty Images

What started with a picture of Gigi Buffon in a catalog is now a full-blown obsession with Juventus. The early wake-up calls some weekends sure do suck, but when it’s for a club that you love, it’s worth it — most of the time. But no matter what, no matter how Juventus does if I’m awake as the sun is rising here in California, it’s for the club I love. I’m a fan of Juve, and I wouldn’t have it any other way.

[Socrates 8386]

 

 

 

Mbappe: Ronaldo favourite to win

Ballon d'Or, but Buffon deserves it

 

 

The only man to score past the veteran in this year's Champions League

knockout phase thinks he should be in pole position for the prize

 

 

http://www.goal.com/en/news/1716/champions-league/2017/05/27/35872662/-

 

 

May 27, 2017

 

Kylian Mbappe believes that Gianluigi Buffon would be a worthy winner of the Ballon d'Or after a monumental season with Juventus, although he admits Cristiano Ronaldo is more likely to take the award. 

 

Mbappe is so far the only man to put a goal past the Juventus goalkeeper in this year's Champions League knockout phase, but it was not enough to avoid a 4-1 aggregate defeat for Monaco in the semi finals. 

 

There are no hard feelings, though, as the teenager heaped praise on Buffon ahead of the competition's showpiece between Juve and Real Madrid in Cardiff next week.

 

"For all of his work, Buffon deserves the Ballon d'Or, but I think it depends on the Champions League final," he explained to Eurosport. 

 

"If Real Madrid win, I think it will be Cristiano Ronaldo but otherwise, I think it would be good for Buffon to win the Golden Ball. "

 

Despite his admiration for Buffon, Mbappe's loyalties will be split as he watches the action at the Millennium Stadium. 

 

Leading Madrid will be Zinedine Zidane, the teenager's compatriot and his all-time idol on the pitch.

 

"The one who made me love football was Zidane. Afterwards I developed several idols but really Zidane was my very first idol," he said, while also commenting on the comparisons he has invited with fellow legend Thierry Henry.

 

"It's flattering to be compared to Henry, but as I said and I repeat: 'everybody writes his story.' 

 

"Thierry has made his career and it was immense, I think it would not be fair to compare an 18-year-old who has not done anything yet.

 

"If I make a great career, I would not want to be compared to an 18-year-old who has not done anything yet."

 

Mbappe smashed 26 goals in all competitions for Monaco in 2016-17, enjoying a superb second season that helped his team take the Ligue 1 title.

 

[Socrates 8386]

 

 

 

Courtois: 'Strikers afraid of Buffon'

 

 

http://www.football-italia.net/103224/courtois-strikers-afraid-buffon

 

 

May 27, 2017

 

Chelsea shot-stopper Thibaut Courtois hailed Gianluigi Buffon. “He’s a different category of goalkeeper, brings leadership, experience and that strikers are afraid of him.”

 

The Belgium international got to see SuperGigi up close at Euro 2016 and meet one of his heroes.

 

“To see Buffon playing to such a level at this age is great. I'm 25 and he is 14 years older than me. Obviously if I can still play at the level he is in 14 years' time, I will be very satisfied,” Courtois told the Evening Standard newspaper.

 

“Obviously I hope nothing happens — injuries can always change the future. But I love football, I enjoy being on the training pitch, in the stadium. I guess I will still feel the same in 10 to 15 years' time and I hope in that moment I can still produce and be at this level.

 

“It's not only his talent and quality, he also brings leadership, experience and that aura which makes strikers afraid of him.

 

“If you're a great keeper you have that quality. I have it in a way already, but Buffon and Iker Casillas still have something special and are a different category of goalkeeper.”

[Socrates 8386]

 

 

 

Buffon: 'We grew up together'

 

 

http://www.football-italia.net/103296/buffon-we-grew-together

 

 

May 29, 2017

 

Gigi Buffon has written a moving tribute to Francesco Totti after the Roma hero played his final match for the Giallorossi.

 

The 40-year-old forward, who has only ever played for Roma, came off the bench against Genoa and helped his side record the win they needed to guarantee automatic Champions League qualification.

 

And Buffon, who won the World Cup as Totti's Italy teammate in 2006 and faced him for many years with both Juventus and Parma, took to social media to issue some heartfelt words.

 

"We grew up together," the goalkeeper, who himself turns 40 next year, wrote on Instagram.

 

 

"We faced each other as rivals. We have celebrated and cried together.

 

 

"Have a good life, Francesco - whatever your path is and whatever your next challenge will be."

[Socrates 8386]

 

 

 

Gianluigi Buffon's form, not reputation,

should win him Ballon d'Or - Chiellini

 

 

http://www.espnfc.co.uk/juventus/story/3136111/gianluigi-buffons-play

-not-reputation-should-win-him-ballon-dor-giorgio-chiellini

 

 

May 30, 2017

 

Giorgio Chiellini reckons Juventus goalkeeper Gianluigi Buffon should win the Ballon d'Or based on his current form, not his reputation.

The 39-year-old is a game away from winning his first Champions League title should Juve beat Real Madrid on Saturday in Cardiff.

His performances along the way have remained at his usually high level, with the Bianconeri posting one of the best defensive records in Europe this season. And teammate Chiellini believes the longtime Italy No. 1 should be rewarded for his play, not the past.

"I don't agree with people claiming Buffon should win the Ballon d'Or for what he's achieved -- he deserves it for the level he's showing now," Chiellini said on Monday.

"I've been fortunate to play in front of him for almost the entirety of my career and I can't even remember what it's like not to have him behind me making the hardest saves look easy."

Buffon, Chiellini, Leonardo Bonucci and Andrea Barzagli have combined to form one of the world's top rearguards despite all being in their 30s, and Chiellini hopes their time together will continue into the future.

"I don't foresee wholesale changes coming, at least in the short term," he added.

"Obviously, over the years, the odd player will come and go, but change is part and parcel of football."

[Socrates 8386]

 

 

 

'Juve should sign Donnarumma and loan him out'

- Casillas sees Milan star as Buffon successor

 

 

The Real Madrid legend feels the teenage goalkeeper would be the ideal

candidate to follow an iconic figure in Turin when he hangs up his gloves

 

 

http://www.goal.com/en-gb/news/683/main/2017/05/31/35979692/-

 

 

May 31, 2017

 

Real Madrid legend Iker Casillas has urged Juventus to sign Milan’s Gianluigi Donnarumma and loan him out until Gianluigi Buffon retires.

 

The highly rated goalkeeper burst onto the scene during the 2015-16 campaign, making his debut at the age of 16.

 

He is now the undisputed first choice at the San Siro, taking in 72 club appearances to date, but has seen his future called into question during a contract dispute.

 

Casillas believes Serie A champions Juve should look to take advantage of that by raiding a rival for a player capable of filling the shoes of a club icon.

 

The World Cup winner, who is now on the books at Porto, told Gazzetta dello Sport: “They should take Donnarumma. Leave him on loan for a year or two until Gigi retires and then bring him to Turin.

 

“If I were to bet on a young goalkeeper it would be him. There’s no-one else in Europe, there isn’t another 18-year-old with so many qualities.

“Obviously he still has to mature for a year or two, but his qualities are obvious.”

 

Casillas has also admitted that he could join Buffon and Donnarumma in Italy after reaching the end of his two-year contract in Portugal.

 

He added on his future, with Liverpool and Paris Saint-Germain among those to have been linked with a move for his services: “I’m on standby.

 

“I have a clause which allows me to stay at Porto for another year, but I’m reflecting. We’ll decide together.

 

“As far as I’m concerned, Serie A is a good option. There are big teams, the football is important and I like the country.

 

“Now I’m in Portuguese exile, but yes I’d like to come to Italy. Then it would be beautiful to play against Gigi again, wonderful.”

 

Buffon has edged ahead of Casillas on the international cap front, with the Italian now one clear of his Spanish counterpart on 168.

[Socrates 8386]

 

 

 

Will Gianluigi Buffon finally get the UCL

glory his stellar career deserves?

 

 

http://www.espnfc.co.uk/uefa-champions-league/2/blog/post/3137134/can-

gianluigi-buffon-claim-champions-league-destiny-his-career-deserves

 

 

Jun 1, 2017

 

 

Maybe it's that infectious enthusiasm: the way Gianluigi Buffon belts out the Italian anthem before international games and greets opposing captains like old friends.

Maybe it's the disarming honesty: those ready confessions to scarfing down too many gummy sweets and brawling with Ultras as a kid.

Maybe it's the fact that he still sounds like a big kid when he talks about sticker albums and Subbuteo.

Or maybe it's just because he has been one of the best goalkeepers on the planet for two decades, and has a strong claim to being the greatest of all time.

Whatever the reason, you would be hard-pressed to find a footballer more universally admired by his peers. Since Juventus qualified for the Champions League final, we have heard a vast chorus of players express the hope that this will be Buffon's year, at last, to lift the big-eared trophy. And perhaps to pick up a Ballon d'Or as well.

Only one goalkeeper has ever won the latter award: Lev Yashin back in 1963. As Iker Casillas put it during an interview with Gazzetta dello Sport this week: "It reminds me of the moon landing. So much time has passed now that nobody can actually remember it happening."

Yet Xavi believes Buffon deserves this recognition, as does his former Barcelona teammate Gerard Pique. So do Atlético Madrid's Antoine Griezmann and Monaco's Kylian Mbappe. The list goes on, from Edgar Davids right through to Italy's 1982 World Cup-winning keeper, Dino Zoff.

In fact, just about the only dissenting voice on this topic has come from within Juve's own locker room. When ESPN FC asked Giorgio Chiellini at Juve's media day earlier this week whether he believes Buffon would be a deserving Ballon d'Or winner, the defender was measured in his reply.

"I don't think it is right to give someone a Ballon d'Or for the career that they've had, which I've seen some people suggest," said Chiellini. "If Gigi is to earn this honour, it should be for what he does [now], not for the things he has done [in the past].

"I hope he does win it, and that he deserves it, because a Ballon d'Or win for him could only be the consequence of us winning on Saturday. ... He's certainly done some extraordinary things this season. But unfortunately he will need to do some more on Saturday, because it's unthinkable that you would not give up chances to a team like Real [Madrid]."

 

Buffon's big saves and bold leadership have propelled Juventus to another CL final. Can he finally win?

Equally, it would be naive to think that Juventus could gave gotten this far without their goalkeeper playing his part. How differently might their group stage have unfolded were it not for Buffon saving a penalty kick and then making a breathtaking block to deny a deflected Nabil Fekir effort as 10-man Juventus stole a 1-0 win at Lyon? Might the semifinal against Monaco not also have seemed less straightforward without his stops from Mbappe and Bernardo Silva?

As good as Chiellini and his defensive teammates are, their performances owe something to the keeper behind them. "When you have the fortune to play with someone like Buffon, you always have the possibility that, if you mess up, he will fix the problem for you," former Juventus and Italy full-back Gianluca Zambrotta told ESPN FC. "That gives you confidence to play. Having someone like him lets you sleep better at night."

At Juventus, they can barely remember anything different. Chiellini is the longest-serving outfield player in the first-team squad, having joined in 2005. By that point, Buffon had already been with the Bianconeri for four years and had played in his first Champions League final. If his team had prevailed in that 2003 showpiece against Milan at Old Trafford in Manchester, U.K., perhaps he would not still be playing today. Buffon confessed to Germany's Kicker magazine that he has questioned his desire to keep going on a regular basis over the past few years.

"If I had already won the Champions League, then I would have had this motivation taken away from me," he said. "It spurs me on."

As it was, Buffon and his teammates lost on penalty kicks in 2003 despite his two saves in the shootout. Juventus had to wait until 2015 to return to the final. That time Buffon made one of the best stops of the season to deny Dani Alves, then with Barcelona, yet Juve fell again.

"Football works in strange ways," he said more recently. "As is true in the rest of life, those who are deserving usually get their just rewards in the end."

The first part of that sentiment is undeniably true. Who would have imagined two years ago that Buffon and Alves would return to this stage as teammates instead of adversaries? Whether they win this Champions League final remains to be seen, but Buffon is not alone in believing he is due.

 

[Socrates 8386]

 

 

 

Champions League final more than a game for Gigi Buffon

 

 

Will it be third time lucky for the Juventus icon?

 

 

http://www.blackwhitereadallover.com/2017/6/1/15722190/gianluigi

-buffon-2017-champions-league-final-juventus-real-madrid

 

 

Jun 1, 2017

 

Twenty-two years ago, at the young age of 17, Gianluigi Buffon’s career started. It was at home against eventual league champions AC Milan — who had conquered Europe the year before — and the debuting goalkeeper had managed to keep the likes of Roberto Baggio at bay. It was a sign of things to come for Buffon, facing up against the best goal scorers the sport had to offer, matching them every step of the way. Just ask Lionel Messi how many he’s stuck past the Italian veteran. Labelled by some as the best to ever grace a football field, even Messi has never been able to get the better of him.

And yet, it feels like Buffon’s long, illustrious career is still missing something — a Champions League winners medal.

The final matchup with Real Madrid on Saturday is more than just a game for both Juventus and Buffon. It’s their chance to right the wrongs of past failures. A penalty shootout defeat to Milan in Manchester back in 2003 still hurts, as does the shock 3-1 defeat to Borussia Dortmund in 1996. Two years ago in Berlin, Juve faltered against a much more experienced Barcelona side. Barring the Dortmund loss, Buffon has been around for the other two close-but-not-close enough moments. They negotiated past tricky knockout rounds but fell at the final hurdle each time.

For Juve, this is about claiming their spot at the top of the European pyramid.

For Gigi, it’s about adding the final missing piece to a stellar trophy cabinet.

Photo by Valerio Pennicino/Getty Images

He’s won almost everything. That cabinet consists of multiple Serie A, Supercoppa Italiana and Coppa Italia titles, a UEFA Cup, a Serie B winners medal and the jewel in the crown, a World Cup triumph with Italy in 2006. But even with being a World champion, it feels as if Buffon deserves, more than needs, a Champions League victory to finish off the loose ends. As great as that achievement in 2006 was, a win this Saturday would mean even more. The journey to Cardiff has been much longer and harder than just the passage taken this season.

Back in 2006, during the Calciopoli scandal, many Juve players departed due to the club’s sanctioned relegation to the second division. Buffon could have been one of them. But instead he, amongst others, displayed the strongest form of loyalty and resisted the temptation to move on. Eventually Juventus were back in Serie A, though it would still take some time for them to recover from what had just occurred. Embarrassing Europa League thrashings by Fulham were part of the process before Antonio Conte revolutionised the Bianconeri upon his arrival as manager. Juve still struggled to make an impact in Europe, but their dominance of Italian football had finally returned. Max Allegri took over from Conte in 2014 and further improved on his predecessor’s work.

Having found himself on the bitter end of the penalty shootout at Old Trafford in 2003, Buffon would have expected to have returned to the biggest game in club football a lot sooner. Instead, he took the hard road, and it was all down to his love for the club. He refused to jump ship to a European giant who weren’t undergoing a significant rebuild, and accepted the potential consequences of that decision. There was a strong possibility he would never get another chance to become a Champions League winner. But his patience paid off when Juve conquered their opponents this weekend, Real, during a thrilling semifinal clash in 2015. They, led by Buffon, were back in the big game.

Photo by Matthias Hangst/Getty Images

The Bianconeri came up short on that occasion, but the feeling this time around is they are more ready. There are no injury concerns, no key players lacking match fitness, and this may not be agreed by those in the Spanish capital, but Juve are the better team. After playing through years of shortcomings and disappointments, Buffon has the chance to once again justify his decision all those summers ago when he refused to leave Turin.

He waited 12 years to get back to the final, and though this wait has been shorter, the burning desire to capture the trophy which has eluded him remains as strong as ever. Each victory in the knockout rounds visibly meant a great deal to him, realizing this is the best chance he’ll have to triumph on the European stage. 22 years on from when he announced his name to the world for the first time, Buffon finally has another opportunity to ensure his fairy tale career won’t be without the ending it deserves.

[Socrates 8386]

 

 

 

Buffon: Juve lack something

 

 

http://www.football-italia.net/103677/buffon-juve-lack-something

 

 

Jun 5, 2017

 

Gianluigi Buffon admits Juventus still “lack something” after their defeat in the Champions League Final and is “really annoyed” with their performance.

 

Juve were thrashed 4-1 by Real Madrid in Cardiff on Saturday, leaving Buffon to rue “a great opportunity” missed and admit the Bianconeri still needed “to move up a level”.

 

“What will I do next year? We’ve qualified for the Champions League, we’ll play for it again,” he told La Stampa.

 

“I’m really annoyed because we wasted a great opportunity.

 

“We still lack something to be on the par of others in games like these. We have to move up a level.

 

“We were thinking of matching them, but in the second half, there was a feeling that left us with regret and perplexity.

 

“Our only regret of the season is not to have played this game better.”

[Socrates 8386]

 

 

 

Buffon: 'I am not eternal'

 

 

http://www.football-italia.net/103943/buffon-i-am-not-eternal

 

 

Jun 10, 2017

 

Gigi Buffon admits “this could be my final year” as a player, so it’s only right Juventus and Italy seek his heirs, but shows respect for Liechtenstein.

 

The World Cup qualifier kicks off at Udinese’s Dacia Arena on Sunday at 19.45 UK time (18.45 GMT).

 

Was it tough for Buffon and the other Juventus players to move on from the Champions League Final defeat with Real Madrid to international duty?

 

“We move easily, because at the end of the day I’d like to finish the season with a victory, a good result and hopefully a clean sheet. All these ingredients make our approach to the game very focused,” the captain told Sky Sport Italia.

 

“The career of a sportsman is made up of victories and of defeats. I have won a great deal in my time and I’ve lost a fair bit too. We must always look forward. There was too much optimism going into a game where even the stupidest Real Madrid player had many more trophies and appearances in big Finals than me.”

 

The talk ahead of the Liechtenstein match has all been about getting as many goals as possible to improve goal difference in the group.

 

“I don’t like these announcements beforehand of a festival of goals, as that shows a lack of respect for the opposition. They are 11 men, just like us. It would also encourage our team to relax.

 

“We know that we’ll need the performance to earn this victory and also that we’ve got no choice but to win, so we’ve got to give it our all and remain concentrated.”

 

Buffon commented in tonight’s Press conference that “this could be my final year and I want to experience it as a protagonist.”

 

Meanwhile, Gianluigi Donnarumma started for the Azzurri in the 3-0 friendly win over Uruguay and Juventus reportedly have a deal with Wojciech Szczesny.

 

“I am not eternal and I never thought that I was. I think of the group, so Juventus and the Nazionale quite rightly have to plan beyond the individual.

 

“I said in the past that I might not want to be a Coach, but perhaps a CT at international level would be less stressful on a daily basis. When I do retire, I’d like to rest a little bit, as it has been a long and intense career.”