Gigi Buffon hailed Iker Casillas and said criticism “is motivation that keeps us alive at our age.”
The friendly kicks off at the Dacia Arena in Udine on Thursday at 19.45 GMT.
This will be an intriguing challenge between veteran goalkeepers Buffon and Iker Casillas.
“We were fortunate and in a way smart to choose a role that allowed us to last longer,” smiled Buffon.
Gigi Buffon hailed Iker Casillas and said criticism “is motivation that keeps us alive at our age.”
The friendly kicks off at the Dacia Arena in Udine on Thursday at 19.45 GMT.
This will be an intriguing challenge between veteran goalkeepers Buffon and Iker Casillas.
“We were fortunate and in a way smart to choose a role that allowed us to last longer,” smiled Buffon.
“It is unusual to have faced each other so many times over such a long spell. Clearly we have done something more than normal in our careers to still be here in this position.”
Buffon was asked about the tide of opinion that has turned against Casillas in Spain, where some claim he is past it and should not still be in the squad.
“In my view the word ‘respect’ is very important and can have many different readings. Here we are talking only about football and whether we are liked or not liked by a fan, Coach, teammate or journalist.
“I hope there is respect for me in Italy, just as I am sure there is for Iker in Spain. Of course there are moments in a career that are highs and others lows, but if a professional has always given stratospheric performances has a slight dip then people immediately call it a crisis.
“I don’t see that as a lack of respect. I see it as motivation, which at our age is the thing that needs to keep us alive and kicking, the fact someone doubts us and we have to change their minds. It’s the joy of this sport!
“I have said that if I deserve to be called up and played, then I do, if not, then I don’t. There is a rule in sport, which is the Coach makes his decisions to win, not for any other reason. He wouldn’t pick a player if he didn’t think he was the best option to win.”
Alvaro Morata said he wanted to remain at Juventus and had asked to swap shirts with Buffon after the final whistle tomorrow.
“Reading the papers I don’t think it depends on anyone except Real Madrid. They seem to have some buy-out clause, so what the player or his current club want are relative compared to what Real Madrid want to do.”
Buffon set a new all-time Serie A record on Sunday by going unbeaten for 974 minutes of football. Is he said that he didn’t reach 1,000 minutes?
“I shared this record with a fantastic group of lads and the record stands for me and Juventus. I now want to improve the record! We start again!”