Gianluigi Buffon Announces He Is To Leave Juventus, Also Semi-Apologises For Calling Referee Michael Oliver ‘Garbage Bin Heart’

Chris Wright

17th, May 2018

6 Comments

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Gianluigi Buffon has announced that Saturday’s home game against Hellas Verona will be his last for Juventus.

The veteran goalkeeper has been a mainstay in the Bianconeri back-line since 2001, but this weekend will see him make final appearance for the Serie A champions.

However, the 40-year-old mentioned in passing that he intends to keep playing on, wherever the fickle winds of fate may take him.

Speaking at a press conference on Thursday morning, Buffon said:

Saturday, I will play a match and that is the only thing that’s certain.

Until about two weeks ago, I was certain I would stop playing. Now offers have arrived that are exciting on and off the pitch and the most important for staying on the pitch was proposed to me by Agnelli.

I’ll let these three days pass and then I will make a definitive decision, completely calmly.

I am not someone who thinks it is right to end my career in who knows what third or fourth level division.

I am a competitive animal and I wouldn’t be able to live in that situation. I wouldn’t feel at ease.

Interestingly, Andrea Agnelli is the Juve chairman, leading some to speculate that Buffon might even be being primed to take a coaching and/or managerial role at the Old Lady next season.

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In the same press conference, the stopper also semi-apologised to referee Michael Oliver, who you might recall he accused of having  “a garbage bin for a heart” after getting sent off in the Champions League quarter-finals against Real Madrid.

Buffon has since been slapped with a UEFA misconduct charge for his behaviour at the Bernabeu, and has now conceded that his tone was unacceptable.

I was sorry to have offended him because at the end of the day he is a human being who does a very difficult job.

If I’d seen him two days later, I’d have hugged him and apologised, but he could’ve been a bit calmer in such an important game.

That’s probably as close as Oliver is ever going to get to receiving a formal apology, so we suggest the official accepts it for what it is.

Posted in Serie A, Transfers & Rumours

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6 Comments

  1. Yah says:

    He was a very, very good goalkeeper a few years ago. But I think he is overrated in the sense that he’s still appearing on the ”best of the year” lists. Come on, De Gea is a much, much, much better goalkeeper than Buffon ever was. Neuer too. Oliver Kahn and Schmeichel and probably van der Sar were superior too. Don’t get me wrong, he was a fantastic goalkeeper but there were always better goalkeepers than him, in my opinion… yet he always takes more praise, that’s why I think people overrate him a little bit. He was very good but not even close to be regarded as the best ever, like many people say.

    Go watch De Gea and then go watch Buffon. The difference is huge.

    • nn4 says:

      You are delusional bro. From 1998 to 2018, since his days at Parma, the man has been exceptional. How many goalkeepers can say they won 7 league titles in a row, in their final 7 years at the top? He’s kept so many clean sheets for Juve and Italy, and always appears in those lists because he’s always been a factor when his teams won. De Gea is a brilliant goalkeeper, but to even compare them at his age is ridiculous. When De Gea adds to his 1 league title, and goes a whole World Cup conceding only an own goal and a penatly on his way to victory, then let’s compare them.

      • Yah says:

        You say like it’s a big achievement for Juventus to win the Serie A. It’s almost like Bayern in Germany or PSG in France. It’s automatic, it is just a matter of when they are going to win it. The competition is very weak and nobody have money to spend.

        Buffon is overrated, he doesn’t make ”impossible” saves, he’s not fantastic on one on one situations and, if he is that good, why is Italy not even in the world cup? Why is he getting hammered by Ronaldo all the time? De Gea makes miracles and Buffon is just a very, very good all around keeper (and today he’s just a shadow of what he was 15 years ago).

        • nn4 says:

          Nothing you said made any sense. De Gea is an awesome goalkeeper, but he didn’t do anything in the game yet. Buffon has done it all, and you’re just talking crap.

    • yeah na says:

      ‘De Gea is better than Buffon ever was’?? are you out of your mind?
      go watch Buffon again, especially when he was De Gea’s age then get back to us

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