Buffon: ‘Not winning Champions League at Juventus was never a wound for me’ | OneFootball

Gianluigi Buffon reflected on his failure to win the Champions League and the biggest regrets of his playing career.

The former goalkeeper won almost every available honour across his 29-year long career, picking up a World Cup, 10 Scudetti, six Coppa Italia, a Ligue 1 title and a UEFA Cup. Despite appearing in two Champions League finals, the Bianconeri legend failed to lift the trophy.

Buffon hung up his gloves at the end of last season following an emotional two-year spell in Serie B with Parma. He is now working as the head of delegation for the Italy national team, taking on the role a month before Luciano Spalletti’s arrival.

Speaking to Eco di Biella via Calciomercato.com, Buffon first discussed his love for Juventus.

“Juventus were my footballing life, there were wonderful memories, an adventure and human growth and consecration from a sporting point of view. The Juve universe turns your certainties upside down, but the moment you succeed they will never give up on you.”

The former goalkeeper reflected on his failure to win the Champions League.

“It’s never been a wound for me, for me it was the incentive to fight every year for something extremely big.

“If I then have to say a general thing that touches the Juve world, teammates and managers, I was very sorry for them and for the fans who have yearned for this cup for more or less thirty years.

“For me, playing in the Champions League was already joy, winning it would have been the closing of a circle, but I don’t care.”

He was asked about any regrets from his playing career or life.

“I like to think that my imperfection gives others an idea of humanity and makes me close to people, with people. I’ve made many mistakes, especially when I was young.

“What I’m least proud of is having bought my diploma at 18, I wouldn’t do it again because there is a note of incorrectness and shortcuts and I have never been one for shortcuts.”

Finally, Buffon opened up about his decision to retire from playing football last year.

“I decided to stop at the exact moment when in Cagliari in the play-off playoff with Parma for the second time in a year and a half I felt my calf strain.

“I said, let’s end it here, because these are injuries that at certain ages are repeated over time and the discontinuity between training and finding routine, I felt that I had enjoyed myself but no longer playing in stop and starts.”