Di Biagio will try to return Buffon to the national team

Italy’s temporary coach Luigi Di Biagio set himself to persuade Gianluigi Buffon to play for his home country in friendly matches in March. Juventus’s 40-year-old goalkeeper has withdrawn from the national team after dropping out of the World Cup in Russia this year. Italy did not qualify for the World Cup for the first time in 50 years.

“I talked to Buffon and offered him two or three more matches because such a player should not end a match like Sweden,” said Di Biagio at a press conference. The four-time world champions have already planned friendly matches with Argentina, March 23 in Manchester, and four days later with England in London. Two more controls are scheduled for June 1 and 4 against France and the Netherlands.