Scala remembered, at the end of the teams’ scoreless draw, both Bucci and Nista congratulating the teenager. Scala had been worried that Nista, in particular, might resent being bumped for a youth team player, but whatever irritation he had harbored had evaporated. “Both of them knew they now had a great rival for a place,” Scala said.

That is an understatement. Within a year Buffon had supplanted them both. By 2001, he had become the most expensive goalkeeper of all time — a title he still holds — when he joined Juventus for $42 million.

Now 39, he is still going: the winner of 10 Serie A titles and the 2006 World Cup. Buffon has played more times for Juventus than anyone else and has won more caps for Italy than any other player, too. He is determined to play on for at least one more season, to achieve his aim of becoming the first player to appear in six World Cups.

On Saturday, he has the chance to fill the one yawning gap on his résumé: Buffon has never won the Champions League.

He has twice come close: breaking down in tears after losing to Milan on penalties in the 2003 final at Old Trafford, and again when Juventus was beaten by Barcelona two years ago in Berlin.

There are those, even among the most ardent Real Madrid fans, who would see Buffon’s finally ending his wait as something of a solace for defeat on Saturday. Iker Casillas, the Spanish club’s former goalkeeper, has said Buffon “deserves” to win it at least once before he retires.