Gigi Buffon Says Goodbye To Juventus On An Incredibly Emotional Day In Turin

Gigi Buffon Says Goodbye To Juventus On An Incredibly Emotional Day In Turin
14:30, 23 May 2018

He sat on the bench and closed his eyes. Undoubtedly overwhelmed by the emotional toll the day was taking, Gigi Buffon simply blocked out the whole world for a moment, gathering his thoughts and regaining the composure that has been a hallmark of his storied career. He had left the pitch as a Juventus player for the final time, sharing a conversation with his old friend Andrea Barzagli before embracing the rest of his team-mates and saluting the supporters who chanted his name.

Even a couple of Hellas Verona players – their team reduced to little more than innocent bystanders by the magnitude of this special day – wandered over to pay their respects, with ex-Juve midfielder Romulo and former Italy international Alessio Cerci foremost among them. The most poignant and heartfelt hug would come from Claudio Marchisio, a Turin native and life-long fan of the Bianconeri, his tears and gratitude echoing that of everyone in the stands as Buffon gave him the Captain’s armband and walked over to the touchline.

Given a guard of honour by the substitutes, coaches and medical staff, they too hugged the 40-year-old goalkeeper who eventually climbed the steps to the bench. Waving to each corner of the stadium with tears in his eyes, it was then that he took that brief pause, searching for a moment of respite as the magnitude of the moment took its toll.

As he did so, he would know that the day was far from over. He would embark on a lap of honour around the stadium, shaking hands with as many fans as possible while accepting gifts of scarves, flags and hats along the way. The club’s social media team and various members of the press all wanted his time, while there was also a small matter of accepting the Serie A trophy and lifting it for the sixth year in a row, a parade through Turin on an open top bus and then a private party for the club’s entire staff.

For those who hold the Bianconeri dearest, watching Juventus celebrate a record-shattering seventh consecutive Scudetto is testament to their dominance of Italian football but, long after the confetti has been swept away and the champagne drops have dried, this day will likely be most remembered for that era-ending 64th-minute substitution.

In years to come, many will fondly recall that it was be Carlo Pinsoglio – another locally-born player who progressed through the youth ranks at Juve – who was sent on in his place, but the 28-year-old journeyman will not be tasked with replacing Buffon full time. That challenge will fall to former Arsenal man Wojciech Szczęsny and summer transfer target Mattia Perin, but in truth neither stands any chance whatsoever of becoming as synonymous with victories and trophies as the man vacating the role.

Buffon has always been more than just a goalkeeper, he is a symbol of everything that makes Italian football and Italian footballers so special. From his early long-haired beginnings with Parma, his short-sleeved shirts became a style now copied across the globe, but it was in Turin and with the Azzurri where he became truly iconic. His heartfelt renditions of the national anthem showcased a passion that delighted even neutral fans, as did his fist-pumping celebrations – some also including a primal scream – when one of his defenders made a vital tackle or he pulled off a great save.

Ah, the saves. So many times “Super Gigi” flew to the rescue, pulling off incredible stops for over two decades and never seemingly growing old, with unforgettable efforts to deny Pippo Inzaghi in the 2003 Champions League final and Zinedine Zidane at the World Cup three years later. Even this term, with Father Time looming over him and talk of his impending retirement discussed after almost every appearance, Buffon remained first class.

Those who play at the back for Juve know how often he has kept them in important matches, so it was no surprise that the club’s defenders were the most effusive in their praise. Medhi Benatia told Sky Italia that “his departure really does leave a hole,” but it was somewhat fitting that it would be Barzagli – one of his longest-serving team-mates and a fellow 2006 World Cup winner – who best summed up the situation.

Prior to kickoff it was he who held back the rest of the squad to allow the skipper to take to the field alone, and at full-time nobody else captured the moment quite so well. “We’ll miss him,” Barzagli confessed to Mediaset. “He’s a leader and the greatest goalkeeper of all time. He is a man who in the locker room lets everyone take a step up in quality. He never says anything without thinking it over and everyone listens.”

That is unquestionably true and talk of what lies ahead – including a rumour he may join Paris Saint-Germain – can wait. What mattered here was the end of an era, 17 years of excellence from the man in the no.1 shirt for the Bianconeri. Records including consecutive minutes without conceding a goal and number of Serie A titles won, countless individual honours and 656 appearances fail to capture the importance of what Buffon come to represent, but perhaps among all the images of this day there was one which explains his impact.

As Buffon made his way along the Curva Sud during his lap of honour, an Ultra leader scaled the barrier to embrace the departing captain. As his skipper moved on the next group of fans the cameras lingered on the first man who slumped to his knees in tears, visibly shaken as the realisation this was truly goodbye hit home. It was, like many others from this occasion, an unforgettable, indelible image of love, loyalty and fandom. It was a moment filled with pride and emotion, a brief encounter that the battle-hardened Ultra will pass down through generations of his family.

It was Gigi Buffon, “the greatest goalkeeper of all time,” and there will never be another.

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