Verratti: Bring back Buffon!

By Football Italia staff

Marco Verratti has called on the FIGC to offer Gianluigi Buffon a role within the Italy set-up. “It would give us an advantage.”

Italy resume their qualification campaign for Euro 2020 on Saturday with a trip to Greece, and Verratti was full of praise for CT Roberto Mancini.

“Jorginho and I start moves. The ‘mezz’ala’ plays closer to the forwards. Whether we play together changes little,” Verratti said at a Press conference.

“Mancini has been a great discovery, he immediately gave me the confidence that I lacked made me feel important right away.

“He knows tactics are important but also that all the players at his disposal must be made to feel at ease. I hope to keep going like this.

“In our last 5-6 games we’ve done well, without changing the way we play. We needed our first 5-6 for confidence.

“The Coach has changed a lot of things, but it’s a successful experiment for now. We can still improve a lot.

“It won’t be easy in Athens. Greece play very good football, we’ve seen a lot of their videos.

“It’ll be a difficult game, there’s great passion and there will be many fans present. Their stadium is like a cauldron.

“They’re one of our competitors to finish first in this group, so it’ll be an important test

The midfielder played alongside Buffon at Paris Saint-Germain last season, and the veteran goalkeeper is reportedly considering a career in sporting management.

“It’s true that in Europe we didn’t go all the way, but other teams went out before us. The Champions League is decided by incidents and details.

“There are seven to eight teams that can win the trophy. I’m happy in Paris, I’ve been here for seven years now and this project makes me want to stay.

“Before the end of the season Buffon and I talked a lot, I knew there was this possibility of him leaving.

“He was loved by everyone. Even though he only had one season with us, he left behind so much.

“I’ll never forget sharing a dressing room with him. Players like him must decide when to stop, when to finish playing and start a new experience.

“The season was beautiful and he was very important to the dressing room, even if he didn’t always play.

“Should he come here, in the national team, to fulfil a role... I think it would give us an advantage.”

Finally, the 27-year-old leapt to the defence of PSG teammate Neymar, who picked up another injury and is facing allegations of rape.

“For those who don’t know him, he’s different to the media depiction. Neymar’s a generous guy who lives for football and loves the sport.

“Training with someone like him is the dream of every child, although he’s going through a tough time right now.

“He’ll miss Copa America due to the injury he picked up last night, but there are jealous people out there, trying to derail him.

“Neymar lives football like only he can.”

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