Buffon names two teams Italy will be happy to avoid in World Cup play-off

Italy Delegation Chief Gianluigi Buffon insists the Azzurri played on par against Norway, ‘one of the top five or six teams in the world’, but would happily avoid Sweden in the play-off semis and Poland in the Final.

Italy will learn their World Cup playoff opponents during today’s draw in Zurich, Switzerland. You can follow it LIVE on the Football Italia LIVEBLOG.

Delegation Chief Buffon spoke to Sky Sport Italia minutes before the draw.

“We wait with enthusiasm and excitement. We have taken a quite peculiar and delicate pathway in Italy,” said the former goalkeeper.

“People are always scared and look for ghosts, but I think and hope these two games will be important and must be faced with what we have and for what our history says.

“Our path, except for the last defeat, which upset us in terms of the result, more than in terms of performance, should not affect us. Every virtuous path has some setbacks, and it’s all about the way we react.”

On Sunday, Italy lost 4-1 at San Siro against Norway, but Buffon tried to look for the positives.

“In the first half, we didn’t allow them to take a shot on target. We were on 1-1 until minute 78, which means we are ultra competitive if we don’t lose certain characteristics, and we always remain focused,” he said.

“Despite what many darkened minds think, I think Norway are among the top 5-6 teams in the world because they have enthusiasm, physicality, technique and three phenomenons, which means you always start with at least a one-goal lead.

“If you look at the numbers against Norway, they were quite balanced, except for the goals, because it finished 4-1.”

Asked about which opponent he’d be happy to get, Buffon replied: “I wouldn’t pick any because sometimes life can trick you, but if I could avoid Poland, especially away, in the Final and Sweden in the semis, all the rest are games that can be played with a good chance to succeed.”