Gianluigi Buffon (45 Viewers)
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Buffon: I earned Calciopoli titles Friday 27 February, 2009
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Gianluigi Buffon reveals why he turned down Roma and Barcelona, plus why “everyone knows” Juventus deserved the Calciopoli Scudetti.
The goalkeeper stuck with the club during the demotion to Serie B when two titles were stripped in the Calciopoli scandal and still counts them on his CV.
“I won two Scudetti with Fabio Capello’s Juventus, which were taken away by the courts, but that did not change anything as far as I am concerned,” he told Sky Italia television.
“I know what I have done, what I won and deserved in my life. I have my own beliefs and nobody will take those away from me, regardless of what will come out in the new trial.
“All of us have within us a conscience that we dialogue with, each of us know what we deserved on the field.”
There is a new trial into the scandal set to begin in May with former director general Luciano Moggi again the centre of attention.
“Everyone in Italy knows that we deserved those titles. Perhaps there was a little bit of help, as there always is in these matters, but we deserved them.”
Curiously, Buffon was set to walk away from Juve before the drop into Serie B, as a deal had been lined up with Milan.
“The interpersonal relationships were no longer as ideal as they once were, because people wanted to use my private life to cast aspersions over my professionalism. That was the time I started seeing Alena [Seredova, now mother to his son].
“But having left Juve in that state would have weighed on me. At the end of the day in order to play well and be happy with others, you need to have a clean conscience so you can focus on your football.
“When [Alessio] Secco took over as director, he told me that Milan and Arsenal wanted to sign me, but I gave Juve that extra shot of confidence they had been lacking with the scandal in full swing.”
That was not the first time Buffon turned down offers from big clubs around the continent, as when he became the world’s most expensive goalkeeper for over £30m in 2001, Juve were not his first choice.
“I have always been very proud of the fact I have that record and I think over the years have proved that figure was not so unrealistic after all,” smiled the Number 1.
“At the time I was at Parma and had to choose between Roma, Barcelona and Juve. Initially my great friendship with [Francesco] Totti made me lean towards the Giallorossi, where Capello had just arrived and looked set to create a winning era.
“My agent and father spoke to [President Franco] Sensi, but for economic reasons he took a step back and preferred to focus on [Ivan] Pelizzoli.
“I had also been in advanced talks with Barcelona, but at that moment when my agent was in Spain to close the deal, Moggi called and the Agnelli family made their case.
“I really wanted to win the Scudetto and my father told me Juve hadn’t won it in five years, so they were due one soon. In the end I followed his advice and it was a great choice.”
Channel 4
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Gianluigi Buffon reveals why he turned down Roma and Barcelona, plus why “everyone knows” Juventus deserved the Calciopoli Scudetti.
The goalkeeper stuck with the club during the demotion to Serie B when two titles were stripped in the Calciopoli scandal and still counts them on his CV.
“I won two Scudetti with Fabio Capello’s Juventus, which were taken away by the courts, but that did not change anything as far as I am concerned,” he told Sky Italia television.
“I know what I have done, what I won and deserved in my life. I have my own beliefs and nobody will take those away from me, regardless of what will come out in the new trial.
“All of us have within us a conscience that we dialogue with, each of us know what we deserved on the field.”
There is a new trial into the scandal set to begin in May with former director general Luciano Moggi again the centre of attention.
“Everyone in Italy knows that we deserved those titles. Perhaps there was a little bit of help, as there always is in these matters, but we deserved them.”
Curiously, Buffon was set to walk away from Juve before the drop into Serie B, as a deal had been lined up with Milan.
“The interpersonal relationships were no longer as ideal as they once were, because people wanted to use my private life to cast aspersions over my professionalism. That was the time I started seeing Alena [Seredova, now mother to his son].
“But having left Juve in that state would have weighed on me. At the end of the day in order to play well and be happy with others, you need to have a clean conscience so you can focus on your football.
“When [Alessio] Secco took over as director, he told me that Milan and Arsenal wanted to sign me, but I gave Juve that extra shot of confidence they had been lacking with the scandal in full swing.”
That was not the first time Buffon turned down offers from big clubs around the continent, as when he became the world’s most expensive goalkeeper for over £30m in 2001, Juve were not his first choice.
“I have always been very proud of the fact I have that record and I think over the years have proved that figure was not so unrealistic after all,” smiled the Number 1.
“At the time I was at Parma and had to choose between Roma, Barcelona and Juve. Initially my great friendship with [Francesco] Totti made me lean towards the Giallorossi, where Capello had just arrived and looked set to create a winning era.
“My agent and father spoke to [President Franco] Sensi, but for economic reasons he took a step back and preferred to focus on [Ivan] Pelizzoli.
“I had also been in advanced talks with Barcelona, but at that moment when my agent was in Spain to close the deal, Moggi called and the Agnelli family made their case.
“I really wanted to win the Scudetto and my father told me Juve hadn’t won it in five years, so they were due one soon. In the end I followed his advice and it was a great choice.”
Channel 4
Buffon: How Lippi developed
Gianluigi Buffon explains how Marcello Lippi took a very different approach from his Juventus years to leading the Italy squad.
“I worked with two Lippis – the first at Juve and the second in the Nazionale,” the goalkeeper told Sky Italia television.
“The Italy one was the perfect Coach, you really could not have had better. He is someone who is able to motivate the team ahead of every match and any opponent.
“He understands the psychological aspect of certain games, knowing when to fire you up, when to leave you to relax, when to give you confidence.
“With the Nazionale he took a step up in terms of the rapport with players. Before he had something to complain about and would be open about it, while now he is able to get the most out of every lad.”
Buffon won the 2006 World Cup with Lippi and looks back to that Final against France in Berlin.
“I remember two days before I slept about 45 minutes that night,” smiled the shot-stopper. “I was so anxious.
“As for the game itself, I was fine, because the tension was so high beforehand that I felt relaxed and almost as if I was watching it in a bar. To a degree it was disappointing to feel so calm.
“I must say the tension started to hit me again as we approached the 90th minute. After the penalties, it was wonderful to lift that trophy.”
Players of that Italy side have marked the occasion with tattoos, but Buffon has a mosaic of a World Cup trophy in his swimming pool.
“It was a present to myself. Every morning I dive in, kiss the trophy, and then come back out again.
“The Nazionale is everything for me. I am very patriotic and have a definite sense of belonging, I’m proud to be Italian. I would do anything to make the nation proud.”
Buffon does not rule out a job with the Italy squad in the future, perhaps starting with Juventus first.
“In my future I cannot see anything other than football, which has been part of my life for 25 years. Even after I hang up my boots, I think I can give an important contribution to this sport.
“I’m not sure in what capacity, but it will hopefully be something that keeps me enthusiastic. I always want that fire in my belly that makes me get up in the morning ready to fight for specific objectives.”
His target today is an evening match between Juventus and Napoli, which kicks off at 19.30 UK time.
C4
Gianluigi Buffon explains how Marcello Lippi took a very different approach from his Juventus years to leading the Italy squad.
“I worked with two Lippis – the first at Juve and the second in the Nazionale,” the goalkeeper told Sky Italia television.
“The Italy one was the perfect Coach, you really could not have had better. He is someone who is able to motivate the team ahead of every match and any opponent.
“He understands the psychological aspect of certain games, knowing when to fire you up, when to leave you to relax, when to give you confidence.
“With the Nazionale he took a step up in terms of the rapport with players. Before he had something to complain about and would be open about it, while now he is able to get the most out of every lad.”
Buffon won the 2006 World Cup with Lippi and looks back to that Final against France in Berlin.
“I remember two days before I slept about 45 minutes that night,” smiled the shot-stopper. “I was so anxious.
“As for the game itself, I was fine, because the tension was so high beforehand that I felt relaxed and almost as if I was watching it in a bar. To a degree it was disappointing to feel so calm.
“I must say the tension started to hit me again as we approached the 90th minute. After the penalties, it was wonderful to lift that trophy.”
Players of that Italy side have marked the occasion with tattoos, but Buffon has a mosaic of a World Cup trophy in his swimming pool.
“It was a present to myself. Every morning I dive in, kiss the trophy, and then come back out again.
“The Nazionale is everything for me. I am very patriotic and have a definite sense of belonging, I’m proud to be Italian. I would do anything to make the nation proud.”
Buffon does not rule out a job with the Italy squad in the future, perhaps starting with Juventus first.
“In my future I cannot see anything other than football, which has been part of my life for 25 years. Even after I hang up my boots, I think I can give an important contribution to this sport.
“I’m not sure in what capacity, but it will hopefully be something that keeps me enthusiastic. I always want that fire in my belly that makes me get up in the morning ready to fight for specific objectives.”
His target today is an evening match between Juventus and Napoli, which kicks off at 19.30 UK time.
C4
