It is a transfer that nobody had seen coming, in the summer of 2018. Not even the main interested party, Gianluigi Buffon, holder at Juventus for 17 years.
The Italian goalkeeper spoke at length to the newspaper
L'Équipe
this Saturday, and did not dodge the subject of his experience in France.
"As often, in life, nothing goes as planned", philosopher Buffon to explain his departure from Juve.
The 40-year-old former doorman from Palermo was seriously considering retirement.
“If I had stayed, I would have become a problem, because they had taken a guard (Wojciech Sczesny), explains Buffon.
Around March, my agent asks me if I really want to quit.
I say yes and, jokingly, I add: "Well, if Real Madrid, PSG or Barça call you, you tell me."
It was a joke.
Because I don't question my level, but a club like that doesn't usually take a 40-year-old player. "
"This game, I think about it at least three or four times a week."
Gianluigi Buffon on elimination by Manchester United in March 2019.
What was Buffon's surprise when Paris Saint-Germain confirmed their interest less than a month later?
“I tell my children about it, they were overjoyed.
"Wow, you are going to Paris, there is Mbappé, Neymar, Verratti, Marquinhos!"
I thought they would be a brake and on the contrary they push me to do it. "
Serene at the idea of not having a possible feeling of betrayal while playing for another Italian club, Buffon says goodbye to Juventus, where he will return a year later, and where he still plays the role of backing for Wojciech Szesczny at 42 years old.
Buffon's top 5 saves with Juventus
But if Buffon returned to Turin, it may also be because his experience in France was not a real success.
In the first leg of the Champions League, PSG dominated a weak Manchester United at Old Trafford (2-0).
Deprived of many executives on the return including Paul Pogba, the Red Devils defied the odds by winning 3-1 at the Parc des Princes.
In particular thanks to the 2-1 goal signed Romelu Lukaku (30th), who took advantage of a ball released by Buffon.
“This match, I think about it at least three or four times a week, confides the world champion 2006. It arouses so many regrets.
I was sure that that season we would have reached the final, I was sure of it. "
Buffon didn't want to be "the heavy old man who gets everyone drunk"
Buffon considers himself responsible for an "incredible error": that of having shown to have "faced the return match as if it were a formality".
The experience of the man with 176 selections with Italy was not felt.
"Maybe so as not to be the old man who gets everyone drunk, I didn't say, 'Oh guys, we're not there, we don't have the right mentality.'
[…] Every day, I think back to this intervention that I did not do.
At Juventus, that wouldn't have happened, it's true.
But this different approach to events has advantages and disadvantages. ”
The following season, Paris SG finally reached its Champions League final, beaten by Bayern Munich on August 23 in Lisbon (0-1).
“There is nothing missing from PSG, believe me, compliments Buffon.
It's a very great team, which can win all the time and against anyone.
If there was a limit, it was taking certain things for granted.
But with the arrival of Leonardo, who has an Italian culture, this type of danger has disappeared. ”
The Italian goalkeeper, who extended for a year at Juventus last summer, will turn 43 on January 28.
But has yet to confirm if he will finally hang up the gloves and crampons.
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