Gigi Buffon believes Cristiano Ronaldo’s arrival at Juventus ultimately proved damaging to their prospects, especially in the Champions League. ‘We lost that DNA of being a team, a single unit.’
The goalkeeper is currently back in Serie B with his first club Parma and has no intention of retiring just yet, as he tries to earn promotion with the Ducali.
He spoke to TUDN.com about his situation at the Stadio Tardini, and potential future prospects in Mexico and the United States.
Buffon also commented on the effect that CR7 had on Juventus, above all after the Portuguese star’s return to Manchester United.
“Juve had the chance to win the Champions League the first year he arrived, which was the year I was at Paris Saint-Germain, and I couldn’t figure out what happened,” said Buffon.
“When I returned, I worked with CR7 for two years and we did well together, but I think Juve lost that DNA of being a team.
“We reached the Champions League Final in 2017 because we were a side full of experience, but above all we were a single unit and there was this competition for places within the group that was very strong. We lost that with Ronaldo.”
The statistics do show some evidence for that, as despite leaving in the summer for Manchester United, Ronaldo is still the top Juventus scorer for the calendar year 2021 with 20 goals in all competition.
It is hardly the first time that Juve players have said Ronaldo’s presence focused all their attentions on giving him service, with Leonardo Bonucci and Giorgio Chiellini also mentioning they were relying on individual talents rather than acting as a team.
Buffon: “Con Ronaldo la Juve ha perso il suo DNA di squadra. Nel 2017 eravamo uniti” https://t.co/8jP8xjKsgY
— TUTTOmercatoWEB (@TuttoMercatoWeb) December 23, 2021
Said a person who ditch juve for a plastic club just for ucl and then for the same reason pack his suitcases and ran back to juve after they landed ronaldo. Too many hypocrites in this team.
I think Man U might be having the same problem, ask their first fired coach since he’s been there or maybe Sarri or Pirlo. They might have some insight.
yea so he CR7 literally had to carry entire team on his back entire season and through knockout phase of CL…. maybe if some other of the top Juve players that money could buy just stepped up 1/10th of his desire and heart they woulda won a CL title.
Anddd only Portuguese fanboys responded to this article of course……
110 goals in 3 years. And they complain.
I find it strange that so many come out against a guy who’s history at Juve is 1 goal per game, is a consummate professional, one of the most disciplines and dedicated athletes, and just happens to be one of the GOAT players. He left that circus (boardroom, bench, squad) and is still scoring clutch goals at a rate of 1 GPP for Man U, while selling a tonne of merchandise for the team. The fact is he was supported by a crumbling infrastructure – free over rated players, and overpaid for lesser players. CR was not the problem. Poor team management is. Also, while I’m weighing in, Cuadrado is by far the best and most consistent player on this team and is really underrated across Europe.
@Meazza – your points about Ronaldo are all correct; he is an absolute professional and one of the best football players ever. There is no doubting his talent, his commitment and his value as a player and as a commercial asset. The point Buffon was making is that once a player with such an elevated status joins a team the unity of the team becomes ‘compromised’ as the focus is overly on the star player. The player can’t be dropped, substituted, has to be played in his preferred position and is often ‘bigger’ than the club. Ronaldo is one of those players. Plus he commands a lot of wages.
@ Torres: Buffon left when Ronaldo had already finished one season. He left because he wanted to explore another opportunity. You really going to criticise a player who stayed at Juve right after winning the world cup, aged 28, to play in serie B?
@Zambrotta, as King Gigi said, we should ignore these Cristiano fan boys. Not sure why they’re still hanging around. Move on. They don’t support clubs, only individuals.
Ronaldo, whilst probably being a more complete player than Messi, is undoubtedly a more selfish player than his arch rival. Juventus needed more of a team player, but decided on the trophy player.
@Lynchy I am even not a ronaldo fanboy. I just find it funny for a rabbit jumping here and there just for CL. buffon should never come back to juve, he can go to parma right away after psg but of course he returns and it is not a brainer because he think ronaldo alone can give him CL at juve. heck I even think he will ask to play in the final if they going through lol.
@Zambrotta I prefer Alessandro Del Piero any day above buffon.