Gianluigi Buffon isn’t taking Italy’s World Cup failure too well.
The four-time winners won’t be in Russia next summer – the first time they’ve missed out on the tournament since 1958 – after losing their qualification play-off with Sweden last week.
The goalless second leg in the San Siro proved to be the goalkeeper’s final act in international football, having previously stated that he’d hoped to retire after the Russian World Cup.
Buffon, a survivor of Italy’s last World Cup-winning squad in Germany in 2006, gave a tearful post-match interview in the moments after full-time in Milan, apologising to the nation for letting them down.
With many expecting the 39-year-old to return to action for Juventus in their game with Sampdoria on Sunday, it was confirmed by manager Massimiliano Allegri on Saturday that the goalkeeper would not feature, nor would defender Andrea Barzagli – also part of the team beaten by Sweden.
“They’re getting over the disappointment but after 15 days with the national team they spent a notable amount of physical and, above all, mental energy,” Allegri said.
“It would have been Buffon’s sixth World Cup and it was a big disappointment. But I found him in form. He had a good reaction.”
The Juve boss also confirmed that Buffon would be returned to the starting line-up for the game Barcelona in the Champions League on Wednesday.
Juventus, the Italian champions, began Sunday in second place in the Serie A table, four points behind Napoli but with a game in hand.
