Buffon stuns fan by throwing him his shorts

Image
AFP Turin
Last Updated : Nov 23 2017 | 6:25 PM IST
Footballers usually throw their jersey to fans at the final whistle but Juventus goalkeeper Gianluigi Buffon stunned one supporter by giving him his shorts after Champions League draw against Barcelona.
The 39-year-old Buffon was competing for the first time since his emotional international retirement after Italy's failure to qualify for the World Cup.
Barcelona advanced to the last 16 after the 0-0 draw in Turin but Juventus remain second in the group and can secure their qualification with victory at Olympiakos on December 5.
An exuberant Buffon ran to hug Barcelona's Ivan Rakitic after the game following a social media exchange on the eve of the game when the Croatian had said he would love to tell Italian goalkeeping great to take his place in the 2018 World Cup.
After embracing Rakitic, Buffon then pulled off his orange shorts and ran towards the tunnel in his Y-fronts to the cheers of the delighted crowd.
"This is only a point tonight, but it's a good point," Buffon later Tweeted. "It's always a pleasure and an honour to play against great champions, like Ivan Rakitic."
Buffon -- who earned a record 175 caps for Italy over 20 years -- had been targeting a record sixth World Cup appearance in Russia.
He announced his international retirement after the 1-0 play-off defeat to Sweden which saw Italy miss the World Cup for the first time in 60 years.
Playing likely his final season with Juventus, Buffon has one final ambition: to win the Champions League, after finishing runner-up twice in the past three years.

Disclaimer: No Business Standard Journalist was involved in creation of this content

*Subscribe to Business Standard digital and get complimentary access to The New York Times

Smart Quarterly

₹900

3 Months

₹300/Month

SAVE 25%

Smart Essential

₹2,700

1 Year

₹225/Month

SAVE 46%
*Complimentary New York Times access for the 2nd year will be given after 12 months

Super Saver

₹3,900

2 Years

₹162/Month

Subscribe

Renews automatically, cancel anytime

Here’s what’s included in our digital subscription plans

Exclusive premium stories online

  • Over 30 premium stories daily, handpicked by our editors

Complimentary Access to The New York Times

  • News, Games, Cooking, Audio, Wirecutter & The Athletic

Business Standard Epaper

  • Digital replica of our daily newspaper — with options to read, save, and share

Curated Newsletters

  • Insights on markets, finance, politics, tech, and more delivered to your inbox

Market Analysis & Investment Insights

  • In-depth market analysis & insights with access to The Smart Investor

Archives

  • Repository of articles and publications dating back to 1997

Ad-free Reading

  • Uninterrupted reading experience with no advertisements

Seamless Access Across All Devices

  • Access Business Standard across devices — mobile, tablet, or PC, via web or app

More From This Section

First Published: Nov 23 2017 | 6:25 PM IST

Next Story