As Italy prepares for their opening EURO 2024match against Albania, Gianluigi Buffon, head of the Italian national team delegation, shared his thoughts with Sky Sport just before kickoff.
Recalling the memorable victory against Germany 18 years ago, Buffon said, “I remember the shared joy and the embrace at the end of the 2006 match. When Lippi used four forwards, I thought they’d lock him up,” he joked.
Reflecting on the current team’s preparations, Buffon drew parallels to the 2006 World Cup-winning squad. “There are many similarities with 2006. I feel a lot of the same emotions. The first game is the most delicate, but we are also carefree. Many of the players are young, and Spalletti provides a sense of security,” he noted. Addressing the emotional impact of the match, Buffon expressed optimism, saying, “The responses we expect are positive. As the coach said, we need to rely on our game.”
Buffon emphasized Spalletti’s influence on the team, stating, “Today, Spalletti wanted to send a message to the players: courage and determination are needed to be protagonists.”
He concluded by addressing the pre-match tension, highlighting the importance of personal preparation. “Before events like these, when tension is high, everyone has the right to behave as they wish in the locker room without causing disturbance. Everyone has their own way of preparing in the best possible way,” Buffon said.
