Buffon: Milan v Napoli will be tight, Conte visionary, Allegri brings swagger | OneFootball

Gianluigi Buffon, a legend of Italian football and head of the Azzurri national team, has shared with Gazzetta dello Sport some significant episodes related to Antonio Conte and Massimiliano Allegri, two coaches who have marked his career at Juventus.

Italy, Buffon: “Milan-Napoli? Balance will reign. Conte is visionary, Allegri brings audacity to his teams”

Words that reveal anecdotes, insights, and behind-the-scenes details that explain the success of the two coaches.

Buffon on Conte: “Fierce determination and absolute clarity”

When Conte arrived at the helm of Juventus in 2011, Buffon was struck by the strength of his ideas: “The fierce determination he had and the clarity in conveying concepts”, explained the former goalkeeper.

An episode that remains in memory concerns one of the first technical meetings: “He told us: 'This type of play is done in this way. If you have doubts, ask, I will give you the explanation. If I don't have it, it will mean that I'm fooling you, and this will never happen'”.

Buffon also recalled a meeting that took place years earlier, when Conte was assistant coach of Siena: “It was 2005-06, we stopped to talk after a match. As I was leaving, I thought: 'Either they lock him up, or he becomes one of the most important coaches in the history of football'. The latter happened”.

Buffon on Allegri: “He knew how to extend the winning cycle”

The contribution of Massimiliano Allegri, who arrived in 2014 after three consecutive Scudetti with Conte and was able to start a new cycle of success, was different: “He gave us that audacity that the team needed at certain times to overcome limits and steps. He also introduced a softer routine in training: the combination was perfect to win again”, Buffon explained.

Two anecdotes with Allegri: Malmö and defense

Buffon then recounted two episodes that show Allegri's mentality.

The first concerns the debut in the Champions League in 2014-15 against Malmö: “At the end of the first half, we were struggling. Allegri came into the locker room and told us to stay calm, because we would win 3-0 or at least by two goals difference. Those words freed us from complexes. We won 2-0 and it was a turning point”.

The second anecdote is tactical: “Allegri had always played with a four-man defense, but in Turin he didn't change anything drastically. He made changes over time, showing intelligence and respect for the group”.

Conte and Allegri, two different ways of making an impact

From Buffon's words, the portrait of two very different coaches emerges, but both capable of marking the history of Juventus and Italian football:

Conte with his intensity, discipline, and revolutionary tactical ideas.

Allegri with his management of the group, serenity in difficult times, and the ability to adapt to the needs of the team.

A double story that confirms that the greatness of a coach is not only measured in trophies, but also in the impact they manage to have on champions accustomed to winning like Buffon.

This article was translated into English by Artificial Intelligence. You can read the original version in 🇮🇹 here.