A serene Massimiliano Allegri stood placidly on the sideline in a typically well-fitted Italian suit. An acrobatic Gianluigi Buffon leaped heroicly around his goalmouth in a foreshadowing all-black kit. The Old Lady marched into the Spanish capital and looked likely to clinch one of the most remarkable comebacks of the year, just one night after what was the most remarkable. It seemed as if it was meant to be.
For 92 minutes and 30 seconds, a 40-year-old Gigi Buffon exhibited gusto of a man 20 years his inferior in a bid to fore adjourn his Champions League farewell. That passion proved his downfall when he marched towards Michael Oliver with the conviction of a man determined to right a grave injustice. In doing he made contact with the referee and that was the end.
The fear in Oliver's eyes pic.twitter.com/io0Lquqmq8
— James Tyler (@JamesTylerESPN) April 11, 2018
Two decades of memories, but the Champions League dream is surely over for Gianluigi Buffon. 😒 pic.twitter.com/VNgm3XgNdr
— Kick Off (@KickOffMagazine) April 11, 2018
Have sympathy for Buffon all you like but you cannot approach a referee in that manner. He will be disappointed with himself.
— Dale O'Donnell (@ODonnellDale) April 11, 2018
History repeats itself
12 years ago Zidane was sent off in his final World Cup game against Buffon’s Italy.
Today Buffon is sent off in his final Champions League game against Zidane’s Real Madrid. pic.twitter.com/27mucgcnJz— POLLS (@Gaming_Tipster) April 11, 2018
It all ended in tragedy for Gigi Buffon, but I'm just happy that this extraordinary athlete, this exemplary sportsman, this wonderful human being was for so long a bright, burning heart within the game that I love. Arrivederci, Gigi. #Buffon #Juve #ForzaJuve #LaVecchiaSignora pic.twitter.com/wdEZFmnAgi
— Mark McFadden (@MarkMcFadden) April 11, 2018
Maybe this was the way it was meant to be. Juventus went down but they went down fighting and Buffon epitomised that. It was stubborn refusal to accept reality, whether that be the tall prospect of overturning the European Champions at home or an obvious penalty at the death.
It was pure, unfiltered emotion. The kind of thing we usually praise Buffon for. Tonight it's visceral manifestation ensured his departure, and a fairytale became a tragedy.
