Buffon to address dreams unfulfilled
Buffon suffered his second Champions League final defeat as Barcelona beat Juventus 3-1
Gianluigi Buffon suffered his second Champions League final defeat as Barcelona beat Juventus 3-1 on Saturday. PHOTO: REUTERS
BERLIN:
Juventus’ evergreen goalkeeper Gianluigi Buffon says he is ready to keep playing for another three seasons to achieve some remaining “dreams” even though he will then be past 40.
Buffon suffered his second Champions League final defeat as Barcelona beat Juventus 3-1 on Saturday having previously missed out on a winner’s medal in the 2003 loss to AC Milan in Manchester.
Buffon — who won the World Cup with Italy in the same stadium in 2006 — put in an oustanding performance but could do nothing about the goals by Ivan Ratikic, Luis Suarez and Neymar.
Juventus fought back to 1-1 thanks to Alvaro Morata’s second-half equaliser and Buffon was left ruing his side’s inability to make their dominance pay after the leveller. “There was a moment, a ten-minute spell, when we thought we had the match in our hands and that’s exactly when we lost it,” he said.
However, the Old Lady skipper knew just how difficult winning would have been. “It would have been an extraordinary result,” he added. “We didn’t manage to win, but not because we didn’t try; we gave everything we had. Barcelona are the best team in the world in my opinion, but we have proved that we can compete.”
Asked about his own future, Buffon, now 37, said he still wanted to win a first Champions League title.
“I want three more years at this level to reach a few more dreams,” said the player who has also won six Italian titles.
Juventus coach Massimiliano Allegri said Buffon was part of a “fabulous team” because of their achievement in winning the Italian double and reaching the Champions League final.
“Of course I am sad because you don’t play in a final every year, but at the same time the team gave everything,” said the proud Allegri. “This season has been good for our confidence and we mean to improve, not just in terms of results because that would mean we win everything.”
Published in The Express Tribune, June 8th, 2015.
Juventus’ evergreen goalkeeper Gianluigi Buffon says he is ready to keep playing for another three seasons to achieve some remaining “dreams” even though he will then be past 40.
Buffon suffered his second Champions League final defeat as Barcelona beat Juventus 3-1 on Saturday having previously missed out on a winner’s medal in the 2003 loss to AC Milan in Manchester.
Buffon — who won the World Cup with Italy in the same stadium in 2006 — put in an oustanding performance but could do nothing about the goals by Ivan Ratikic, Luis Suarez and Neymar.
Juventus fought back to 1-1 thanks to Alvaro Morata’s second-half equaliser and Buffon was left ruing his side’s inability to make their dominance pay after the leveller. “There was a moment, a ten-minute spell, when we thought we had the match in our hands and that’s exactly when we lost it,” he said.
However, the Old Lady skipper knew just how difficult winning would have been. “It would have been an extraordinary result,” he added. “We didn’t manage to win, but not because we didn’t try; we gave everything we had. Barcelona are the best team in the world in my opinion, but we have proved that we can compete.”
Asked about his own future, Buffon, now 37, said he still wanted to win a first Champions League title.
“I want three more years at this level to reach a few more dreams,” said the player who has also won six Italian titles.
Juventus coach Massimiliano Allegri said Buffon was part of a “fabulous team” because of their achievement in winning the Italian double and reaching the Champions League final.
“Of course I am sad because you don’t play in a final every year, but at the same time the team gave everything,” said the proud Allegri. “This season has been good for our confidence and we mean to improve, not just in terms of results because that would mean we win everything.”
Published in The Express Tribune, June 8th, 2015.