As Italy’s run has gathered increasing momentum, inevitable comparisons have been made between Cesare Prandelli’s men and the 2006 World Cup winning side in Germany.
And Buffon admits that tomorrow’s final has evoked memories of the dramatic showdown against France.
“There are the same emotions and belief as we felt in Berlin,” he told reporters. “Whether it ends the same or not, we’ll just have to wait and see tomorrow. We’re up against the strongest team, Spain have great champions, they’ve dominated over the past few years and credit to them. It’s right that they’re favourites, we’re the surprise package and we want to continue to surprise.”
Tomorrow doesn’t just represent a titanic showdown between two strong football nations, it also promises to serve up various intriguing head-to-head tussles – and none more so than Buffon against Iker Casillas.
“He’s a great goalkeeper and I admire him very much. A year ago I was 150th place on the list of the best goalkeepers in the world, so now I’m happy to be here to play in this final.”
Buffon ended by acknowledging the importance of the eight Juventus players in Prandelli’s squad, before revealing the strong mentality which has proved instrumental in lifting the Azzurri all the way to the final act.
“It is useful to have a group of players who already work well together,” concluded the 34-year-old. “They can help make the manager’s job easier. Aside from all the chatter, Italians have a sense of responsibility, respect and love for the shirt. We always manage to create a close-knit group to champion our history and flag. That is our strength.”
Source: Juventus.com
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