Despite breaking another Juventus record over the weekend, Gianluigi Buffon’s agent has revealed his career could have been very different as he very nearly joined Barcelona in 2001.
The 39-year-old now sits atop the table when it comes to minutes played for the Bianconeri in Serie A, overtaking Giampiero Boniperti against Sampdoria after hitting the 39,681 minute mark.
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It’s unlikely Buffon or Juventus could have predicted how the goalkeeper’s career would play out when he signed for the club back in 2001, and Silvano Martina made it clear the Italy icon almost didn’t join the Serie A giants.
“A move to Barcelona was practically done,” the agent revealed to Juvenews.eu. “Buffon wasn’t even in Italy when the deal was set to go through.
“However in the end Juventus offered more and he didn’t think twice about saying yes to the Bianconeri.
“He has never regretted the move after all these years because he is playing for one of the most important and prestigious clubs in the world. Gigi is proud to have made this choice and he would make it again today.”
Juventus and Barcelona will do battle in the Champions League quarter-finals on April 11 and 19, and Martina was clear the tie was too close to call.
“It will be a great and balanced tie,” he added. “It’s impossible to predict how it will play out.”
Juventus currently sit atop the Serie A standings with 73 points from 29 matches.
