Gianluigi Buffon views tomorrow’s friendly against Scotland at National Stadium as a very important test for his team ahead of the Euro 2016 Group E opener against Belgium on June 13. The Italy goalkeeper has called on the multitude of Azzurri fans in Malta to push him and his team-mates to a convincing performance against the Scots. Kevin Azzopardi caught up with Buffon in the lead-up to Ta’ Qali warm-up…

With the start of the European Championship fast coming into focus, Italy will be looking to pep up their preparations as well as their confidence when they meet Scotland in their penultimate warm-up before embarking on their French adventure.

And Gianluigi Buffon, Italy’s inspirational captain, is banking on the Maltese Azzurri to spur him and his team to a resounding performance as tomorrow’s friendly is being staged at our National Stadium (kick-off 8.45pm), the third time in the last three years that the four-time world champions have played in our country.

“I’m very happy about the fact that this game is being played in Malta because the Maltese public is always very affectionate and close to us Italians,” Buffon told Times of Malta.

“To this end, I hope that there will be many supporters at the stadium because playing in front of a passionate crowd always gives you a strong push and, from our side, we will be doing our utmost to produce an exciting footballing evening.”

Italy face Belgium, Ireland and Sweden in a tough-looking Group E at Euro 2016 which kicks off on June 10.

Scotland have once again failed to make the cut for a major tournament but are expected to take this friendly very seriously not only because of the pedigree of their opponents but also to boost their own preparations for the 2018 World Cup qualifiers where they will meet sporting foes England and Malta among others.

Buffon is in no doubt that tomorrow’s game is a useful sparring exercise for his team, moreso as Scotland are similar to Ireland, Italy’s opponents in their final, and potentially decisive, Group E match on June 22 in Lille.

“The friendly in Malta is a very important test, decisive for the final choices of the coach (Antonio Conte) who, two days later, will have to issue the official list of 23 players who will be going to France,” Juventus talisman Buffon said.

“The choice to play Scotland was dictated by the fact that we will be able to face a team with similar playing style to Ireland.”

Starting the Euros with a sound performance against Belgium would give us a boost, and could also yield advantages at a psychological level

With Italy heading into the Euros in the somewhat unaccustomed position of not being among the leading favourites, an eye-catching showing in their opening clash with the much-fancied Belgium of Kevin De Bruyne and Eden Hazard would give them a huge psychological lift.

While acknowledging that an uplifting performance in their opener would galvanise their self-belief, Buffon warned that an encouraging start alone is still no guarantee of success.

“Certainly, starting the Euros with a sound performance against Belgium would give us a boost, and could also yield advantages at a psychological level,” Buffon, who has just helped Juventus to a second straight Serie A and Coppa Italia double, reflected.

“It’s equally true though that, at the 2014 World Cup in Brazil, we got off to a winning start and we all know how it ended.

“So, it’s good to start well but it’s more important how you finish.”

Buffon receives the Serie A cup for the fifth consecutive season.

Two years ago, Italy, then under the charge of Cesare Prandelli, launched their World Cup campaign with a 2-1 victory over England in Group D but back-to-back 1-0 defeats to Costa Rica and Uruguay shattered their hopes of reaching the knock-out stages.

Unlike previous tournaments, this Italy squad is short of star players with Buffon and his Juve team-mates, the likes of Leonardo Bonucci and Giorgio Chiellini, arguably the most famous names in Conte’s group after the injury-related withdrawals of Claudio Marchisio, who also plays for Juve, and Paris SG midfielder Marco Verratti.

Conte, who has left out mercurial on-loan Milan striker Mario Balotelli and veteran midfielder Andrea Pirlo, now with New York FC, has to rely on a host of players with little experience of big tournaments but they need not look further than Buffon for guidance on how best to approach this tournament.

“The only advice I feel I should offer (to the young players) is that to live this experience giving everything that they can, with maximum serenity and professional seriousness,” the 38-year-old, the most capped player in the history of the Italian national team with 156 appearances, said.

“The youngest need to know how to dream and be high on emotions because it doesn’t happen every day to participate in a European Championship and this in itself should be a matter of pride and responsibility.”

The Euros will be Conte’s first and only major championship in his spell as Italy coach as he is quitting his post at the end of the tournament in France to take charge of Chelsea.

The Azzurri dominated qualifying Group H, finishing four points ahead of runners-up Croatia, but they hardly impressed in the friendlies since.

That is of little concern to Buffon who, having worked with Conte at Juventus, has no doubt that the would-be Chelsea boss would bring the best out of his squad as Italy look to add to the solitary European title they won in 1968.

“Certainly, our strength could be the compactness of the squad as well as having a coach who I regard as among the best around,” Buffon said.

“Tactical perfection is needed to enable the individual quality of the players to emerge.

“We are preparing for this championship in the best way possible, even though we know that we have lost two key players in our midfield like Marchisio and Verratti.”

Italy vs Scotland – head-to-head