Gianluigi Buffon to play last game for Juventus on Saturday

Italy’s talismanic goalkeeper Gianluigi Buffon will play his last match for Juventus after 17 years at the club when they host Verona in Serie A on Saturday, he told reporters on Thursday.

“Saturday will be my last game for Juventus. I think it’s the best way to end this wonderful adventure,” the 40-year-old said.

However, the 2006 World Cup winner, close to tears at times, did not say whether he was retiring from the sport altogether.

“For now, I only know that Saturday I will play a game. Until a few days ago it was certain that I would stop playing. Now there are some interesting proposals,” he said.

Buffon had planned to end his career at the 2018 World Cup, which would have been his sixth, but Italy failed to qualify.