Buffon and Casillas resume their rivalry
It will be a meeting of goalkeeping greats when Gianluigi Buffon faces old rival Iker Casillas on Wednesday in the Champions League.
While both players may be reaching the ends of their careers, Buffon and Casillas each have something to prove in their 17th career meeting — this time in a match between Juventus and FC Porto.
Buffon, 39, has won virtually everything except for the Champions League, finishing runnerup twice, in 2003 and 2015, with Juventus.
The 35-year-old Casillas has won everything — including three Champions League titles — but is looking to regain his spot on Spain’s national team and prove his former club, Real Madrid, wrong for casting him aside two years ago.
“Every player knows it takes time to get used to a new city, new surroundings and a new way of life,” Casillas told uefa.com.
“Of course, when you’ve spent so long in the same place, as was the case for me, it’s strange to experience a change of scenery. Maybe
I didn’t reach the level I wanted last year — I didn’t feel completely comfortable. I haven’t been called up to the Spain squad, so I’ve had more time to focus on my club.
“I’ve noticed the effect. First you need to be settled at your club, and then who knows what might happen?”
Whatever the result in the first leg, Casillas and Buffon will continue to have mutual respect for each other.
The pair engaged in an entertaining exchange on Twitter recently, with Casillas asking Buffon, “What do you think? For me you the best!!”
To which Buffon responded, “I don’t choose. We are the best,” adding a smiley face.
In their eight national team meetings, Casillas’ Spain has had the better record with three victories to only one for Buffon’s Italy — including Spain’s penalty shootout win in the quarter-finals of the 2008 European Championship and Spain’s victory in the Euro 2012 final.