Goalkeeper Gianluigi Buffon hit 1,000 appearances for club and country and 168th Italy appearances

2018 FIFA World Cup, Italian National Team, Juventus

By Anna Italia
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The 2018 FIFA World Cup Qualifier game Italy vs Albania on Friday 24 March 2017 is also a big day for Italy and Juventus goalkeeper Gianluigi Buffon to hit 1,000 appearances for club and country.   Buffon will make 168 Italy appearances taking him above goalkeeper Iker Casillas’ record of 167 for Spain becoming the most capped goalkeeper still playing.   Italy vs Albania to be played at the Renzo Barbera Stadium in Palermo, Italy at 20:45.

Surely, a remarkable accomplishment, Buffon states that  playing “1,000 matches is a big landmark for me, I can only say there won’t be another 1,000.  I have great respect for Albania, they’re a team to be feared and they have done a lot of good things in the past two years and they showed what they’re worth at the Euros. There are no easy teams to play against now and that makes matches better and more enjoyable. Football has certainly become more competitive in recent years.”

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Photo:   facebook.com/NazionaleCalcio

“Respect for Albania isn’t just something we’re saying, they’ve shown what they can do in recent years.”

Buffon has started every game for Italy Head Coach Giampiero Ventura and he’s been the most used player of his term along with Juventus teammate defender Leonardo Bonucci with 450 minutes spent on the pitch.

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Photo:   facebook.com/NazionaleCalcio

Buffon agrees to move the start of the season so that Italy are in peak condition for the match against Spain on 2nd September 2017. “I think that the sacrifice of a little change in the calendar could give us a big hand and allow us to go and play that game in our best condition.”

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Photo:  facebook.com/pg/NazionaleCalcio