Gianluigi Buffon warns his Paris Saint-Germain teammates “it’s difficult to play” at Napoli, and praises Carlo Ancelotti.
The goalkeeper is returning to Italy for the first time as a player since leaving Juventus in the summer, and it has already been confirmed he’ll start tomorrow.
“It’s difficult to play here,” Buffon warned in the pre-match Press conference.
Gianluigi Buffon warns his Paris Saint-Germain teammates “it’s difficult to play” at Napoli, and praises Carlo Ancelotti.
The goalkeeper is returning to Italy for the first time as a player since leaving Juventus in the summer, and it has already been confirmed he’ll start tomorrow.
“It’s difficult to play here,” Buffon warned in the pre-match Press conference.
“I know the stadium well and it’s passionate. It’s difficult, because there’s a great connection between the team and the fans, and it’ll be difficult to win because, as we saw in the first leg, Napoli are to be respected.
“It’s not a normal game, we know that we have to win, but even more important is not to lose because we still have chances ahead of us.
“Returning for such an important game, and in Naples, gives me some important motivation and I hope I can be useful for the team.
“We know that we are in a difficult situation, but it is also true that the team has been growing in recent weeks and this gives me hope.
“I didn’t keep playing to win the Champions League, but because of motivation and how I feel physically.”
Carlo Ancelotti spoke in his Press conference about seeing Buffon again, as they worked together at Parma.
“The boss is a special person, we all know that. His teams become sort of your second team, because when you don’t know who to cheer for you cheer for Ancelotti. He has that power.
“In a complicated world like our he’s been winning for 20 years, and that proves that he has something different.
“The person is not up for discussion, but his value as a Coach should also be underlined.”
The 40-year-old ended his Juve career with the Scudetto, but did he fear that Napoli would beat them to it?
“Yes, last year there was a moment I thought we wouldn’t win it,” Buffon admitted, before comparing Ancelotti to Maurizio Sarri.
“I don’t want to say who is better, but the difference I’ve noticed this year is the awareness within the game.
“In the other years they played excellent football, truly beautiful, but they always seemed to have to go 2,000km/h.
“Now I see a team that plays at the pace the game requires and then manages it.”