By DPA,
Centurion, South Africa : Italian goalkeeper Gianluigi Buffon fears that back problems could bring a premature end to his World Cup participation.
“I am very worried about my World Cup,” the player told Italian daily “La Gazzetta dello Sport” Wednesday.
Losing the Juventus goalkeeper would be a major blow for the defending champions. “Buffon is a unique player” said the president of the Italian Federation, Giancarlo Abete.
The 32-year-old goalkeeper will have more tests today in a Pretoria clinic. The Italian team doctor Enrico Castellacci has diagnosed a sciatica problem but said: “For the moment we cannot say when he will be back.”
The fear is that he will not be able to return before the quarter-finals and many believe his World Cup is over. If he has to go home coach Marcello Lippi will call-up Palermo keeper Salvatore Sirigu.
Buffon went off in Italy’s first game against Paraguay, and was replaced by Cagliari keeper Federico Marchetti.