The man might have picked up a lot of flak recently because this comments about referee Michael Oliver after Juventus' second leg Champions League game against Real Madrid, but last night showed exactly why Gianluigi Buffon is so widely respected across the football world.
The 40-year-old was criticised for his post-match comments on Oliver's decision to grant Madrid a penalty in the final few minutes of the game. Something which inadvertently caused both Oliver and his wife, Lucy Oliver, to receive abuse on social media. But Buffon has now shown why he was considered such a footballing great in the first place.
Juventus and Napoli faced off in a game which could decide the Serie A title this year. There was drama from the start, when the southern Italians arrived at the Juventus Stadium and their manager Maurizio Sarri flipped Old Lady supporters the bird, to the end where centre-back Kalidou Koulibaly scored in the dying embers to move the team from Naples just a point below Juve in the league.
Juventus have been the dominant force in Italy in recent years but with a tough remaining fixtures against such teams as Inter Milan and Roma, that could all be set to change this season, a season which is set to be legendary goalkeeper Buffon's last.
It makes what he did all the classier. After the game, the veteran shot-stopper congratulated all the Napoli players before making his way to the exit. It was a phenomenal gesture by a phenomenal player.
Class act.
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