Buffon bids a tearful farewell

Thunderous applause, singing greets the goalkeeping great

Italy great Gianluigi Buffon played his final game for Juventus on Saturday before tearfully exiting after a trophy-laden 17-year career in a 2-1 win over already relegated Verona.

Buffon — who had captained Juventus to a seventh straight Serie A title and fourth consecutive Italian Cup triumph this season — took his final bow midway through the second half.

It was the 656th game for the evergreen 40-year-old who arrived in Turin in 2001 from Parma for a then world record €52 million fee.

The goalkeeper and captain was substituted by coach Massimiliano Allegri at 63 minutes to take an ovation before 40,000 emotional Juventus fans many with their eyes brimming with tears.

He hugged all his teammates, on the field and on the bench, and then left the sidelines. Goalkeeper Carlo Pinsoglio then made his Serie A debut between the posts.

Buffon had said he did not want anything special for his final game.

“I want to live this day normally. I ask nothing except what I have already had, esteem, affection and respect. The rest I do not need it. As a child, I did not like birthdays and be in the centre of attention,” Buffon had said.

But there was thunderous applause and singing as the goalkeeper and Juventus captain emerged from the locker rooms.

He was accompanied onto the pitch at the Allianz Stadium by his three children — the youngest, Leopoldo, in the arms of his partner Ilaria D’Amico, and the other two, Louis Thomas and David Lee, led by his ex-wife Alena Seredova.

“There is only one number 1, there is only one number 1”, they sang in the tribunes before kick-off, as Buffon hugged his teammates one by one.

In the south tribune Juventus fans unfurled a banner with a phrase: “Only those who try the absurd reach the impossible”.

The results: La Liga: Celta Vigo 4 (M. Gomez 29, 63, Aspas 41, 48) bt Levante 2 (Rochina 12, Morales 74).

Serie A: Juventus 2 (Rugani 49, Pjani 52) bt Hellas Verona 1 (Cerci 76).