Buffon enraged despite reaching final
Italy goalkeeper Gianluigi Buffon was left fuming as he went off the pitch despite Italy having qualified for the Euro 2012 final with a 2-1 win over Germany.
The 34-year-old Juventus stopper had made half a dozen crucial stops to help his side to a 2-0 half-time lead following a brace from Mario Balotelli.
But Buffon was left incensed that his side were hanging on at the final whistle after spurning at least four counter-attacking opportunities to put the game to bed when still leading by two goals.
Instead a Mesut Ozil penalty in injury time ensured Italy had a nervy final few minutes.
"I was annoyed at the final whistle because I don't celebrate second place and I was angry with us because we could have avoided the difficult final five minutes," he fumed.
"When you can score seven goals against Germany, you have to score seven because if they come back to 2-2 they'll beat you 10-2 in extra-time.
"We need to be more mature and to know that even if football is a game, when you reach the European Championship final, it's no longer a game."
Buffon was particularly unimpressed with the attitude shown by certain younger members of the squad.
"I also evaluate things based on certain behaviour and there's still things to improve.
"There are youngsters who have to learn this because otherwise the old guard like me gets angry.
"We played a great game, we could have won by more. We did very well today and things went well."
Italy coach Cesare Prandelli backed his captain's stance.
"Gigi is a World Cup winner and when you have three or four chances to finish a game you should do it," he said.
"It only takes a penalty or a free-kick to put this game back into question, so obviously he's annoyed. This is the mentality of a champion."
For Andrea Pirlo, who was named man-of-the-match by former Manchester United and Denmark great Peter Schmeichel, there is no reason to celebrate yet.
"I've always given my best and now we deserved to reach the final and we have to make the most of this moment," he said.
"But I don't laugh a lot because we haven't done anything yet.
"There's no use going to Rome and not seeing the Pope. We want to go home with this Cup.
"Sunday we'll have the same spirit of fighting and running that we showed against England (in the quarter-final)."
For Giorgio Chiellini, who unlike Buffon and Pirlo was not part of the 2006 World Cup winning squad, this victory was worth celebrating.
"We're living a dream and millions of Italians are with us," he said.
"We'll enjoy this win a little more and then we'll start thinking about Sunday because we want to keep dreaming."
18 Comments
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Paul Sammut
Jun 29th 2012, 17:22
Mr Camilleri if the italians have done nothing to reach the final then can you tell us what England did to be back home
James Camilleri
Jun 29th 2012, 13:25
"We haven't done anything yet." This commets by Pirlo says it all. In fact we have seen nothing of the superb the Italian press and supporters are saying. Sheer luck
JOSEPH VELLA
Jun 29th 2012, 14:28
L-ġħenep qares, kien qal il-lupu. Ikkunslaw u oqġħodu kantaw GOD SAVE THE QUEEN
G. Ellul
Jun 29th 2012, 14:56
Sour grapes i guess......!
M Borg
Jun 29th 2012, 15:59
Sheer Luck!!!! Int bis-serjeta Camilleri???? Taf il-ballun jekk huwiex tond jew? Ghax il-kumment tieghek jaghtini dik l-ideja. It-Taljani grew bl-Inglizi u il-bierah bil-Germanizi u dan jixhduh il-coaches rispettivi taz-zewg timijiet.
Peter Seebohm
Jun 29th 2012, 12:34
Mr. Spiteri
fortunately we have seen a new resp. long missed kind of football.
Their new trainer must be a wizard - Italy playes football.
Not that old style all hated, except Italian supporters. Means defensive, unfair, trying to cheat penalties, whining around for each anti-Italia decission of the referree.
They played fair, intelligent, hard of course, but this was FOOTBALL at is best.
Hopefully they continue this game vs Spain
Loew said Italy deserved their victory and added the Italians have a chance against defending champions Spain in Sunday's final in Kiev.
Peter Paul Sacco
Jun 29th 2012, 11:39
@Ray Buhagiar int bis-serjeta' jew? Kieku smajtu l-bierah lil Buffon, meta t-Taljani kollha kienu ewforija u qalu li taw lezzjoni tal-football lill-Germanizi qalilhom "non esageriamo bastava un episodio e sarebbe stata un altra gara". Dak kliem ta' CHAMPION TAD-DINJA KBIR U MATUR. Issa hu gost jekk nhar il-Hadd jirbhu l-Ispanjoli. F'hajti jien rajt lit-Taljani jitilghu 7 finals, jirbhu t-Tazza tad-Dinja darbtejn u Champions ta' l-Ewropa darba. Jekk int kont twelidt fl-1966 forsi tiftakar kif sraqtuha lill-Germanja.
Albert Spiteri
Jun 29th 2012, 10:17
I'v been supporting British football these last 60 years. Ever since I can remember. Not that I have any extra love for anything British, not at all. Simply because I always loved the British style of open attacking game. Having said that I now say that I've hardly ever seen a more miserable English national side look so pathetic, so miserable, so cowardly and so incompetent. And again, I can compare the present version of the Italian national side to their best ever. So, I support the Italian national team all the way because they're playing the brand of football I love and I detest the miserable lacklustre English side because they are playing the kind of football I hate most. Italy and their fantastic young footballers deserve to win this tournament. THEY ARE THE BEST IN THE WORLD.
SILVIO SEISUN
Jun 29th 2012, 09:43
Ray lanqas tider li int mahruq ukoll. Minthomx kapaci iggibu argument wiehed bis sens. Bhat tfal tirragunaw
P. Ciantar
Jun 29th 2012, 12:35
Int tidher kbir u professur wkoll....
Josephine Cauchi
Jun 29th 2012, 09:42
skuzi ta, ghax ma tghidx li hu ragel matur u l-ohrajn ghadhom tfal?
Ray Buhagiar
Jun 29th 2012, 08:32
Kibritlu rasu Buffon. Hope he will learn his lesson against Spain.
Jason Borg
Jun 29th 2012, 09:37
Daqs kemm kibrett ta JOE hart LOL
Mr ALAN GALEA
Jun 29th 2012, 09:49
SOUR GRAPES SIEHBI.
Joseph Rapinett
Jun 29th 2012, 10:32
Dak professjonalismu. Kibritlu rasu kieku qal li l-Germanja team medjokri u mhux kapaci jirbah lit-Taljani. Jekk qrajt dak li qal Buffon. Jew bl-Ingliz biss tifhem.
M Borg
Jun 29th 2012, 10:42
Nithassarhom Ray nies bhalek. Ghax tifirhu biss jekk jitilfu t-Taljani. Il-bqija bit-tim li zzommu mieghu ma tifirhu qatt.
marco caruana
Jun 29th 2012, 10:55
mux kibritlu rasu ezatt imma buffon qiad jamel hafna tejatrini anki sepliciment biex ikanta l innu taljan , qieghed jahseb li ha jithasru kulhadd u jintnesew il kazi ta mhatri legali li buffon stess mdahhal fihom !!
Freddie Micallef
Jun 29th 2012, 11:27
ara veru ma tifhimx siehbi.Li qal Buffon kollu minnu mela tigi tghid li kibritlu rasu.Buffon ghandu esperjenza twila u bli qal ried jigbed ftit widnejn lil shabu b;inqas esperjenza.Intik parir li meta tikkumenta taghmilx hekk bil passjoni habib.Nhar il hadd ghoqod tpaxxa bil loghba spanja italia .
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