Paolo Montero discusses Juventus-Barcelona and believes Gianluigi Buffon “is not human!”
The centre-back scored against the Blaugrana when the sides met in the 2003 Champions League Quarter-Final, with the Bianconeri facing Barça at the same stage tonight.
“I scored so few goals that I can remember the Barcelona one in great detail,” Montero told Gazzetta dello Sport.
“It was a complicated game, it was a Dutch Barcelona, not the super team of now. [Javier] Saviola equalised and ultimately it was a fair result.
Paolo Montero discusses Juventus-Barcelona and believes Gianluigi Buffon “is not human!”
The centre-back scored against the Blaugrana when the sides met in the 2003 Champions League Quarter-Final, with the Bianconeri facing Barça at the same stage tonight.
“I scored so few goals that I can remember the Barcelona one in great detail,” Montero told Gazzetta dello Sport.
“It was a complicated game, it was a Dutch Barcelona, not the super team of now. [Javier] Saviola equalised and ultimately it was a fair result.
“We suffered incredibly in the return leg, but thankfully Pavel [Nedved] was on the pitch and then came the touch of [Marcelo] Zalayeta for 2-1. A miracle, but that team was tough and never gave up.
“Today’s Juve are just as strong, but maybe in a different way. [Gonzalo] Higuain and [Paulo] Dybala are top players, they can score at any time.
“Buffon is the same now as he was then, he’s not human. We’ll remember him as the best goalkeeper of all time.
“When I see [Leonardo] Bonucci and [Giorgio] Chiellini I’m reminded of me and [Ciro] Ferrara, just a nod and we understood each other.
“Individually maybe Barcelona are better, but we – I say ‘we’ because I’ll always be a Juventino – we are more solid, united and willing to sacrifice one for the others. Qualification is balanced.
“The Champions League? It’s my great regret, it’s the one thing missing in my career and I carry that with me.
“I could say that my teammates who are still at the club – Buffon, [David] Trezeguet, Nedved – must win this trophy for me too, but it would be wrong to put it that way. I’ve had my turn and I didn’t do it.
“They, however, remain to fight for themselves and for the fans, because Juve deserve this.”
Current Juventus President Andrea Agnelli has said Montero was his favourite player…
“I thank him, he could have chosen [Zinedine] Zidane, [Alessandro] Del Piero or some other star player but he chose a ‘normal’ one like me.
“Maybe it’s because in a sense, with all humility, I represent the feeling of Juve. What I mean is I represent the desire to fight and win that this great club has.
“When I’m in Turin the affection from the people overwhelms me. Moreover when Juve are playing everything stops and my house becomes a stadium: from my dad to my kids, everyone cheers.”