Captains at their clubs and in their national teams, Casillas and
Buffon, Buffon and Casillas have been facing each other for 10 years now
in epic duels in almost all competitions - the last one coming in the
Confederations Cup last summer. Both players have dominated the world of
goalkeeping for the last decade. The Italian was voted the best keeper
in the World in 2003 by the IFFHS (International Federation of Football
History & Statistics), with the Madrid player in second place. Ten
years later in 2012 the roles were reversed when Iker was ahead of the
Italian, and the ten awards in between were shared between the two, with
five for Iker and four for Buffon, with only Peter Cech able to break
the duopoly in 2005.
Buffon has won 34 individual awards and 14 titles, while Casillas has 20 awards alongside his 21 trophies.
Tonight they will meet for the twelfth time. The first was in the semis of Champions in 2002-03. Then, Buffon's side turned the tie around in Turin after losing 2-1 in the Bernabéu. Two years later Juve put Madrid out again at the quarterfinal stage.
At national level it is Casillas who has ruled above the Italian. In the first two games - both friendlies - Iker won one and drew one, before the great battle of the 2008 Euros when Spain beat Italy on penalties with Casillas on fire. There was another friendly, that Italy won 2-1, before the 2012 Euros where the two sides drew in the group stage before Spain beat Italy in the final 4-0. The last game came in the 2013 Confederations Cup and ended again in a penalty shootout that saw Spain through to the final.
Buffon has won 34 individual awards and 14 titles, while Casillas has 20 awards alongside his 21 trophies.
Tonight they will meet for the twelfth time. The first was in the semis of Champions in 2002-03. Then, Buffon's side turned the tie around in Turin after losing 2-1 in the Bernabéu. Two years later Juve put Madrid out again at the quarterfinal stage.
At national level it is Casillas who has ruled above the Italian. In the first two games - both friendlies - Iker won one and drew one, before the great battle of the 2008 Euros when Spain beat Italy on penalties with Casillas on fire. There was another friendly, that Italy won 2-1, before the 2012 Euros where the two sides drew in the group stage before Spain beat Italy in the final 4-0. The last game came in the 2013 Confederations Cup and ended again in a penalty shootout that saw Spain through to the final.
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