Buffon to sit out Juventus match after Italy WCup failure

Posted November 18, 2017 6:00 am

The Associated Press

TURIN, Italy (AP) - Gianluigi Buffon is still recovering from Italy's failure to qualify for the World Cup and won't play for Juventus at Sampdoria on Sunday.

Juventus coach Massimiliano Allegri announced Saturday that defender Andrea Barzagli also won't play for the same reason.

Both Buffon and Barzagli announced after Italy's playoff loss to Sweden on Monday that they were retiring from the national team.

Allegri says "They're getting over the disappointment but after 15 days with the national team they spent a notable amount of physical and - above all - mental energy. It would have been Buffon's sixth World Cup and it was a big disappointment. But I found him in form. He had a good reaction."

Buffon left the national team after a record 175 appearances.

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