Gianluigi Buffon admitted that Italy´s Euro 2012 rivals Spain count with an abundance of talent in their squad and for that reason they come into the competition as the odds on favourites to win the title.
“In soccer the best teams generally win, and they [Spain] are [the best], ” affirmed Buffon, when asked about Spain´s probabilities of beating them on Sunday. But he warned that the best teams “don´t always win.”
The Juventus goalkeeper also spoke about the match-fixing scandal that has rocked the Italian national team ahead of Euro 2012.
“These things don´t favour us to find the necessary tranquility, but we can´t take it like a disadvantage,” he explained to reporters.
According to the veteran, Italy are in Poland with the intention to “do things well” and to make their “fans proud of the Italian national team.”
Buffon also voiced his opinion about striker and team-mate Mario Balotelli, who he believes “is pure talent,” and his poor disciplinary record of the past.
“With us off the field he has always behaved himself. The important thing is for him to learn from his mistakes to gather experience.”
Finally, Buffon praised the Spanish national team, but he didn´t single out any particular player: “All of them are good and great soccer players.”
Italy and Spain clash in a high-profile Euro 2012 Group C game at the PGE Arena Gdansk on Sunday.
