Latest news with #Buffon
Daily Mirror
3 days ago
- Entertainment
- Daily Mirror
'I cried myself to sleep after UCL final - what Lionel Messi did stuck with me'
Regarded by many as the greatest goalkeeper to never win the Champions League, Gianluigi Buffon was an emotional wreck when falling short of his ultimate goal back in 2015 Gianluigi Buffon admitted his Champions League failure against Lionel Messi left him crying himself to sleep - but paid tribute to the Argentine for his actions after the game. The Italian legend achieved almost everything in football, but one glaring absence on his hefty trophy mantle is the appearance of a Champions League trophy. The former goalkeeper was 37 when he reached his second European final with Juventus in 2015, when they faced Barcelona in Berlin. Many believed it was Buffon's last chance of capturing the honour. Both teams required the trophy to complete the continental Treble, given they had both secured their respective domestic league and cup titles. It was the Spanish side who drew first blood with Ivan Rakitic opening the scoring in the fourth minute. Alvaro Morata equalised in the second half, but it turned out to be in vain as goals from Luis Suarez and Neymar secured the return of the trophy to Catalonia after a four-year absence. A second defeat on the grand stage for Buffon was a hard pill to swallow for the 2006 World Cup winner. He admitted during the presentation of his book titled 'Fall, Rise Again, Fall, Rise Again' that he and his wife were left crying until they went to bed. "It was 5:30am, and my wife Ilaria and I cried while hugging each other," the 47-year-old said to Mundo Deportivo."After Berlin, I went home. You're stunned by the defeat, like after a night of heavy drinking. "I stayed in the living room, she changed clothes, and we didn't say a word. We hugged and cried for five minutes and then went to bed. "Sharing the same feelings and emotions means a lot. It's always better to win because it boosts your confidence and self-esteem. But only defeats push you to think, understand what went wrong, and thus improve." Despite the heartbreaking defeat, Buffon was left touched after the match when Messi asked for his shirt, and in return gave his own shirt, which the Italian described as "the best in history." "I was filled with pride in the Berlin final at 37 years old," he added. "When he asked for my shirt, I thought: 'My God, how beautiful it is'. One of those moments where I didn't feel uncomfortable but saw myself through different eyes." Referring to his third Champions League final defeat in 2017, when Juventus came up against Real Madrid in Cardiff, Buffon said: "We exchanged shirts. At the end of the match, however, we had other problems, not knowing that a few years later we would have another chance in a final." The 4-1 defeat to the Spanish giants was Buffon's last appearance in the final of the Champions League and Juventus' most recent appearance in the fixture.
Yahoo
16-05-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Buffon: ‘I was the VAR' in the 2006 World Cup Final with Zidane
Gigi Buffon reveals the most back-handed compliments he received from Marcello Lippi and Max Allegri, why being in goal was 'a superpower' and that 2006 World Cup moment with Zinedine Zidane. 'I was the VAR.' The legendary Italy star was presenting his new book at an event in Turin and took questions from reporters, covering his career highs and lows. Advertisement You can read some more of his comments here. 'The theme of the book is that goalkeeping is a metaphor for life. You fall, get back up, fall, get back up. There are always going to be falls, but the important thing is finding the motivation to get back up again,' said Buffon. The highlight of his career was winning the 2006 World Cup with Italy in a penalty shoot-out against France, but it was a night tinged with bitterness because of Zidane's headbutt on Marco Materazzi. epa01094126 (FILES) This file combo of TV grabs shows the foul of Zinedine Zidane of France to Italy's Marco Materazzi and the red card shown to Zidane by referee Horacio Elizondo of Argentina during the final of the 2006 FIFA World Cup between Italy and France at the Olympic Stadium in Berlin, Germany EPA/A9999 DB WDR In the age before VAR was introduced, Buffon saw it live and rushed over to tell the referee what he had witnessed, prompting the fourth official to confirm the red card offence. Advertisement 'At that moment, I was the VAR,' he laughed. 'My reaction and my run towards the area where it happened made sure that the referees realised what had transpired. They will never admit it, of course, but they saw it back on the television monitors. I was the only one who saw everything that happened in real time.' Buffon recounts Lippi, Allegri and Mazzone comments FORT LAUDERDALE, FLORIDA – MARCH 21: Gianluigi Buffon of Italy arrives before the International Friendly match between Venezuela and Italy at Chase Stadium on March 21, 2024 in Fort Lauderdale, Florida. (Photo by) Buffon was also in the Italy squad that crashed out early of the 2010 World Cup in South Africa, with the ill-advised return to the role of coach Lippi. 'I was injured, so I got back into the dressing room and saw everyone distraught, with their heads in their hands. The coach arrived, he was calm, but detached. 'Lads,' he said. 'It is not your fault, it is my fault that like an idiot I brought you here.' I will admit, I went and hid in the shower so I could laugh at that.' Advertisement Throughout his career, SuperGigi was known for his ebullient personality, so this came with a propensity to whip up the crowd, even from his debut for Parma as a teenager against Milan. 'I was young, irreverent, very confident in myself, but also smart. I went to sleep on the team bus. I realised my teammates were adults, champions, so they needed to know that I could be trusted and the only way I knew to do that was to reassure them. I tried to reassure them rather than calm myself,' explained Buffon. 'In those final minutes of matches, you get to feel the passion of the crowd and it draws you in too on the field. You realise the moment of suspense, the cheer for a save, or the joy for a goal. The ability to change the mood of so many people in an instant is a superpower I discovered that I had.' HAMBURG, GERMANY – DECEMBER 02: Special guest Gianluigi Buffon is seen with the UEFA EURO 2024 trophy during the UEFA EURO 2024 Final Tournament Draw at Elbphilharmonie on December 02, 2023 in Hamburg, Germany. (Photo by) The goalkeeper worked with some of the greats in his career and also faced some iconic coaches, such as Brescia boss and ready wit Carlo Mazzone, plus ex-Juventus tactician Allegri. Advertisement 'I saved absolutely everything against Brescia. I got into the dressing room and Mazzone was there with the face of a man who wanted revenge. As soon as I went past, he said: 'What did you do to me today? You seemed like Lazarus, you kept rising back up.' 'Allegri said to me that my greatest strength was my tendency to experience everything with a total state of recklessness. Every now and then I think about that and feel maybe he was right,' noted Buffon. His first major trophy was winning the UEFA Cup with Parma in 1999, but that too was not entirely a joyful experience. 'At that time it was worth almost as much as the Champions League, but I didn't like that it was played in Moscow, this enormous stadium with very few people in there.'
Yahoo
17-03-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Buffon: Italy have an 'ultra competitive' team for Germany quarters
Italy are not underdogs in this week's Nations League quarter-final tie with Germany, their former goalkeeper great Gianluigi Buffon has said. "Italy have an ultra-competitive team with a smart and charismatic coach in Luciano Spalletti, and with pros who would play in any national team," Buffon told Monday's edition of German sports magazine Kicker. The teams meet on Thursday in Milan and on Sunday in Dortmund. The winning nation will host the Final Four mini tournament in June. Buffon, a 2006 World Cup winner who is new head the Italian nationaal team delegation, said the Azzurri have overcome a shock last 16 exit against Switzerland as title holders at Euro 2024. The team showed that by comfortably qualifying for the Nations League quarters from a group featuring France, Belgium and Israel. "Now we have to confirm the work of the last six months in two games against one of the strongest teams of them all," he said. But Buffon added: "That doesn't mean we have to beat them. It means meeting at the top level and on an equal footing during the 180 minutes. That would be the most important insight. If we are still narrowly eliminated, you just have to congratulate the better team." Italy have a good record in knock-out ties against Germany. They won the 1982 World Cup final as well as semi-finals at the World Cup in 1970 and 2006, and at Euro 2012. Germany's only win in such a tie was on penalties in the Euro 2016 quarter-finals.
Al Bawaba
03-03-2025
- Sport
- Al Bawaba
No Easy Comeback: Barcelona Sets a Tough Condition for Neymar
Neymar's return to Barcelona is far from guaranteed, as the club has set a strict requirement before even considering signing him again. Also Read Buffon: Neymar best player I've faced According to SPORT, the Catalan giants have informed Neymar that he must score 15 goals with Santos before they will entertain any discussions about his potential comeback. Neymar Wants to Return The Brazilian star has never hidden his desire to wear the Barcelona jersey again. His name has resurfaced in conversations around the club, largely due to his continued presence in the media spotlight. However, the Blaugrana management remains firm—before any negotiations take place, Neymar must prove he still has what it takes to perform at the highest level. There are two main reasons behind Neymar's desire to return to Barcelona: To prove himself again at the top level, especially after the challenges he has faced in recent years. To prepare for the 2026 World Cup, where he will be 34 years old. He sees a move to Barcelona as the perfect motivation to regain his best form. Barcelona's Stance: No Rush to Make a Decision While Neymar is eager to return, Barcelona is in no hurry to bring him back. The club wants to carefully evaluate his physical and technical condition during the summer before making any commitments. At this stage, there have been no formal negotiations between Neymar's representatives and Barcelona. If talks do happen, Deco would be the key figure handling the discussions from the club's side. Even if Neymar manages to meet Barcelona's condition, his return is not guaranteed due to the club's financial situation. With an already complex wage structure, accommodating Neymar's salary could be a major hurdle. Now, the question remains: Can Neymar meet Barcelona's challenge and prove he deserves a second chance at Camp Nou?
