‘I forced PSG’s hand’ – Buffon claims he engineered Juventus return

Veteran goalkeeper Gianluigi Buffon has claimed that he ‘forced’ Paris Saint-Germain to allow him to return to Juventus in the summer.

The Italian shot-stopper swapped Turin for Paris last season but returned to Serie A just a year into his French adventure.

Buffon has revealed that he wished to return to his homeland in order to be with his family and pushed for a move away from the Parc des Princes, telling Tiki Taka: “One night when I was on my own I decided to return to Juve, asking myself: ‘At 41 years old, what am I doing here alone in Paris when my family is in Italy?’

“I forced PSG’s hand and when Juve made me their offer, that seemed the right choice, so I accepted it immediately.

“I went to Paris because I couldn’t turn down the kind of sporting and economical offer they gave me at PSG.

“When you are 40 years old and a club this big comes in for you, it’s also flattering. I wanted to gain a new experience and step out of my comfort zone.”

The 41-year-old also insists that he is not thinking about retirement at present but is solely focused on winning trophies with Juventus this season.

“Right now I’m in a psychological and physical condition where I still feel like an important player," he added.

“I haven’t yet examined my own future and I also have the serenity to psychoanalyse and evaluate my own performances.

“When I realise I can’t play like I want, I will sit down with the club and tell them it’s over.”

The reigning Italian champions drew 1-1 with Lecce in Serie A last time out, but Buffon is not concerned about the result.

“You might draw from time to time, but I think it’s also fine like this," he said.

“The controversy arrives as soon as the best teams don’t win, but there’s also the other team and there are three different outcomes in football.”

The Bianconeri remain top of the league despite their stalemate as title rivals Inter were also held to a 2-2 draw against Parma.

Next up for Juventus is a home fixture against Genoa on Wednesday, before they take in a trip to Torino three days later.