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31 May Gianluigi Buffon, May 31st 2006Italy and Brazil are “my” big favourites for the forthcoming world cup. I have already said everything about Italy, but as far as Brazil are concerned, you only have to read the names of the players that make up their attacking line to see how dangerous they are. Ronaldinho, Ronaldo, Adriano and Kakà don’t give the opposition any points of reference, making it very difficult to mark them. The only problem for Brazil may be to do with balance; clearly their inclination for attack could mean greater vulnerability in defence, although they are by no means short on big names at the back…
Argentina and England are the stray landmines of the competition and I believe Spain and France to be one notch below them. Germany is a team to hold in high regard for two main reasons: at the World Cup they nearly always reach the semi-finals, and they are also the Nation organising the event, which historically has always been an advantage because of the support from the public and greater motivation for the players. Ultimately, if I had to rank the teams I fear most I would place Brazil at the top spot and Germany and Argentina immediately after on an equal level. The surprise packages? Well, precisely because they are surprises it’s difficult to make predictions. I don’t think, however, that in the World Cup there can be a revelation as big as Greece was in the European; experience and tradition have an importance which ultimately affects the final result much more than in any other “championship”. 26 May Gianluigi Buffon, May 26th 2006Now I feel free at last to concentrate on the World Cup, with nothing else cluttering up my head. I’ve sorted out some things that had to be sorted out and now I feel much better — like a weight has been lifted from me.
I’d already begun to notice the scent of the World Cup in the air when I went to Coverciano for the Italy squad meeting. It was really exciting to see all the other players and know that for the next few weeks we’re going to be experiencing this adventure together. Some of us are veterans from Korea and Japan, of course, but others are relatively new internationals and this will be their first World Cup. They all seem very calm and relaxed, though, and determined to do the best job they can.
The next few days will be based around following a strict programme of training sessions and athletics activities, plus tactics sessions that Lippi usually lets us goalkeepers take part in. Knowing how the team is going to move is important so you can predict who's likely to be doing what.
We’ll be staying here in Florence until 30 May, when we go to Switzerland to play two friendlies — one against the Swiss and one against the Ukraine. These matches will give us an opportunity to see what kind of form we're in, especially psychologically. Italy is inevitably one of the squads that start out among the favourites, together with Brazil, Germany as the home country, Argentina, England and a couple of others. The pressure is enormous, but Lippi, our coach, has worked hard on the mental aspect of things over the last few years so I think we’re well prepared. 22 May Gianluigi Buffon, May 22nd 2006It’s very soon now that the World Cup adventure will be getting under way. Just a few days holiday and I will be ready to take on this great challenge. Apart from me, Peruzzi and Amelia have been called up into the squad to look after the Italian goal. The older and the younger, two extraordinary goalkeepers. Angelo possesses much experience and is mentally very tough, he is the type of person you gladly go into ‘battle’ alongside of, because you know that he will always stand by you. With regard to Amelia, in my view he is one of the greatest talents to be found in the goalkeeping role at the moment. In addition he has already been able to collect experience to a certain extent with the Under-21 team, so is no longer a newcomer.
Our manager Lippi has taken care to put together a homogeneous side which shares his understanding of football, namely always displaying full commitment. And then it is important to have Totti recovered completely, which is finally the case, and also Inzaghi, the two both being world class players even before they became two of the most important key players in our team.
I must admit that although I have become accustomed over several years at operating at the international level, and having also been at the World Cup in Korea, I am still seized now and again by a very particular feeling. Maybe because we are now playing in Europe, maybe because I am now more experienced and not so ‘untroubled’ any longer , maybe also because this year I was out of the fight for a long time because of my accident and was therefore unable to play much, but maybe also through a great number of reasons - yet I can hardly wait to be able to run out on to the field and gauge myself against the many champions who are pitted with one another in Germany. Each game will be decisive and this idea is pumping a mighty dose of adrenalin into my veins, I wish it was the 12th June already |
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