Italian giants Juventus will host German heavyweights Bayern Munich in the first of their two-legged round of 16 tie in the Champions League.
The encounter – the first game being played on Tueday – will see two of the world’s biggest names in goalkeeping go head-to-head in the form of Gianluigi Buffon and Manuel Neuer.
The Italian shot-stopper in an undeniable legend, who at the age of 38 has won a FIFA World Cup, 6 Serie A title (not including the two that were stripped from The Old Lady), and a Coppa Italia crown and is still going strong.
However, speaking to the media in a pre-match conference for the clash with the Bavarians, the Azzurri captain was full of praise for his Bayern Munich counterpart, claiming that the German sweeper-keeper is already a goalkeeping great.
“I think you have to look back throughout history, but in my career I’ve been lucky to see many solid and reliable goalkeepers who boat great qualities.
“I think that Neuer is one of them, and he is a goalkeeper who plays in a very exciting way, that’s undeniable. Obviously, because of the way Bayern play, he’s a lynchpin and someone who helps them a lot.”
The Juventus skipper, however, did warn fans not to forget the likes of former die Mannschaft custodian Oliver Kahn and Iker Casillas when naming the greatest goalkeepers.
“When we talk about great goalkeepers, I think about Casillas, Cech, Kahn, and many others. I think this discussion deserves a lot more than only speaking about current players.”
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