Regarded by many as the greatest goalkeeper to never win the Champions League, Gianluigi Buffon was an emotional wreck when falling short of his ultimate goal back in 2015
Gianluigi Buffon admitted his Champions League failure against Lionel Messi left him crying himself to sleep – but paid tribute to the Argentine for his actions after the game. The Italian legend achieved almost everything in football, but one glaring absence on his hefty trophy mantle is the appearance of a Champions League trophy.
The former goalkeeper was 37 when he reached his second European final with Juventus in 2015, when they faced Barcelona in Berlin. Many believed it was Buffon’s last chance of capturing the honour.
Both teams required the trophy to complete the continental Treble, given they had both secured their respective domestic league and cup titles.
It was the Spanish side who drew first blood with Ivan Rakitic opening the scoring in the fourth minute. Alvaro Morata equalised in the second half, but it turned out to be in vain as goals from Luis Suarez and Neymar secured the return of the trophy to Catalonia after a four-year absence.
A second defeat on the grand stage for Buffon was a hard pill to swallow for the 2006 World Cup winner. He admitted during the presentation of his book titled ‘Fall, Rise Again, Fall, Rise Again’ that he and his wife were left crying until they went to bed.
“It was 5:30am, and my wife Ilaria and I cried while hugging each other,” the 47-year-old said to Mundo Deportivo. “After Berlin, I went home. You’re stunned by the defeat, like after a night of heavy drinking.
“I stayed in the living room, she changed clothes, and we didn’t say a word. We hugged and cried for five minutes and then went to bed.
“Sharing the same feelings and emotions means a lot. It’s always better to win because it boosts your confidence and self-esteem. But only defeats push you to think, understand what went wrong, and thus improve.”
Despite the heartbreaking defeat, Buffon was left touched after the match when Messi asked for his shirt, and in return gave his own shirt, which the Italian described as “the best in history.”
“I was filled with pride in the Berlin final at 37 years old,” he added. “When he asked for my shirt, I thought: ‘My God, how beautiful it is’. One of those moments where I didn’t feel uncomfortable but saw myself through different eyes.”
Referring to his third Champions League final defeat in 2017, when Juventus came up against Real Madrid in Cardiff, Buffon said: “We exchanged shirts. At the end of the match, however, we had other problems, not knowing that a few years later we would have another chance in a final.”
The 4-1 defeat to the Spanish giants was Buffon’s last appearance in the final of the Champions League and Juventus’ most recent appearance in the fixture.
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