EURO 2016
Italy keeper Gianluigi Buffon says there will no inferiority complex when he faces Manuel Neuer and Germany during their quarter final clash on Saturday.
Despite having once described Manuel Neuer as “better than him”, Italy captain Gianluigi Buffon insists he is cowed by the prospect of facing the younger keeper on Saturday.
According to Sofascore.com news The two countries face each other in a mouthwatering Euro 2016 quarter final clash at Stade Matmut-Atlantique in Bordeaux in a bid to determine who advances to the semis to face either France or Iceland.
Neuer, widely regarded as the best goalkeeper in the world, has been in top form at Euro 2016. The Bayern Munich shot stopper has played in each of his country’s last five games and kept a clean sheet in all of them.
With goalscoring chances expected to be few and far between on Saturday, the clash could turn into a battle of the goalkeepers as the pair attempt to see their countries through to the semis.
Humble as ever, Buffon, 38, repeated his earlier assertion that Neuer was the better keeper and asked that people don’t compare him to the 30-year-old German.
“I said Neuer is better than me, because in the end it may be true,” he said.
“It’s not something that bothers me or demeans me or what I am. I am well aware of what I have been, what I am now, and where I will be in two years. It makes me feel very calm.
“It would be offensive to compare him to a 38-year-old goalkeeper. It seems normal to give this kind of answer as, over the last four or five years, he has shown himself to be an outstanding goalkeeper in every aspect.”
The Italy skipper is under no illusions as to the difficulty of the task that lies ahead in facing Germany and knows his team will be thoroughly tested.
“There is no other route other than to try to keep on improving as much as possible to give ourselves the chance to go through and keep dreaming,” he added.
“When you look at the side we face we know just how difficult it will be. It’s a match where there will be blood, sweat and tears and the emotional and physical aspect will be pushed to the limit but we are well aware of that and that’s important going into the match.
“Of course you have belief when you are midway through a tournament, be it a World Cup or European Championship, and you have beaten Belgium, Sweden and Spain.
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“We have great awareness of what we’re doing and we have great belief.”
Source: sofascore.com
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