BEWARE OF HEEM
Sterling and Kane are our biggest dangers
AZZURRI legend Gianluigi Buffon has warned Italy they must keep Raheem Sterling and Harry Kane quiet if they are to win tonight. And the goalkeeper, who is also a fan of England No.1 Jordan Pickford, believes his nation have every right to be worried about the Three Lions. World Cup winner Buffon said: “Sterling is for me one of the great figures of Euro 2020. “He has unbalanced very serious defences in decisive moments of the matches so far. “This tournament has been the great confirmation of him at international level. “Kane has done well too because he has excelled in key games and at the decisive moments. “A forward is always judged by the goals he scores, but he has also worked hard for his team in this championship. “England have a lot of great players, but I think the pressure is on them rather than Italy. “They have more to lose than we do because they play at home and have the crowd with them. It’s particularly important to score the first goal in this match and a lot could depend on what happens in the opening minutes.
“I think Italy will win, but it won’t be easy to score goals and you don’t know how players react on the day.
“In a final – and at this level – there are always nerves.
“The team that is calmer will win the trophy – and we have to make sure it is us.
“I lost a final of the Euros in 2012. So, I hope that now the streak is broken and we Italians are very happy after the match this time.”
Buffon has also given Pickford and England’s remarkable defence the ultimate seal of approval ahead of the Euro 2020 Final.
One of the greatest goalkeepers of all time, Buffon won 176 caps for his country and lifted the World Cup in 2006, famously conceding only two goals all tournament – an all-time record.
So, there is probably nobody in the world who knows more about how to keep a clean sheet than the veteran, still playing on at the age of 43, having just left Juventus to return to Parma in Serie B.
And he reckons Pickford and Co are the real deal. The Three Lions have conceded just once on their journey to today’s final, matching Buffon’s stats in 2006.
Just like the Italian did that year, Pickford has also kept five clean sheets and is heading for a Golden Glove award as the best keeper in the tournament – only beaten by Mikkel Damsgaard’s spectacular free-kick in the semi-final.
“I have to say Jordan Pickford has great quality and a very serious defence in front of him,” said Buffon, Serie A’s goalkeeper of the year 12 times.
“There were many people who doubted the kind of performances they were going to give at the back, but they were wrong.
“The tournament has shown it is very difficult to score a goal against this England side and they have defended very well with a very good goalkeeper.
“Italy have played a great Euros, but I think now they face the most difficult match of the entire tournament. Playing against this England defence at Wembley, with the entire public against them, will be the biggest test of our team.
“If we analyse the trajectory of this Italy side, I still think that we can be champions – but it will certainly not be easy.”
People doubted the England defence... they were wrong