Legendary goalkeeper Gianluigi Buffon believes Juventus had to sign Cristiano Ronaldo in order to prevent mass exodus of senior players.
Buffon left the club after helping the club secure their seventh successive league title. The 40-year-old ended his 17-long years relation with Turin and took new challenge with Ligue 1 giants Paris Saint-Germain.
He believes many of his former team-mates would have followed his lead and the club had to stop it. As a result they completed the €100 million (£89m/$114m) marquee addition of five-time Ballon d’Or winner Ronaldo.
In an interview, the World Cup winner revealed this to Tiki Taka on Sport Mediaset:
For me, it was time to say ‘enough’. Juve probably felt others could’ve left and that the only way to reawaken everyone was buying Cristiano.
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Buffon has no regrets for not playing alongside Ronaldo
However the legendary goalkeeper does not regret playing alongside the iconic ex-Madrid player. Both Buffon and Ronaldo have faced each other on several occasions down the years.
The former Italy international is happy to have shelved retirement plans and to take a new challenge in France.
“I think, speaking in a friendly way with the president after such a long and stressful period because being a Juventus player and captain weighs on you a little, even if it’s an honour, the time had come for us to go our separate ways,” Buffon added.
“I considered retiring or carrying on playing if an incredible offer from a top club came my way. If it had come from an exotic League, I wouldn’t have considered it.
Former Italy and Juventus star Gianluigi Buffon claims that the Serie A giants convinced the rest of their best player to stay this summer because of Cristiano Ronaldo.
“The only way to convince all of them to stay was to sign Ronaldo”. #ForzaJuve pic.twitter.com/gK77fZta08
— SBOBET (@SBOBET) December 4, 2018
“The offer from PSG arrived in May, and it made me consider the option of playing for another year or two.
“It was an unnatural choice but one I thought about a lot. We left each other on sweet terms, that’s what I wanted and I think everyone else did too.
“I won seven Scudetti in a row and even if you’re stronger, you never take winning for granted. It involves so much nervous fatigue.”
Buffon joined PSG on a one-year contract. However there is an option of a 12-month extension in the contract.
Until now he has made 10 appearances for the French club and is once again chasing the Champions League crown, which has proved so elusive to his distinguished career so far.