Former Italian international, Gianluigi Buffon, has confirmed he has rejected an offer from PSG to extend his contract. This puts the end to only one year in Ligue 1. With Gigi Buffon now 41 and looking to continue playing, what does this mean for fantasy football fans?
Winner of the Ligue 1 trophy
Buffon left Juventus at the end of last season. In his time in Turin, the keeper became one of the club’s most recognizable figures. Buffon motivated his decision to leave, and choose PSG, as wanting to take on a new challenge.
The keeper joined an elite cast at PSG that included the likes of Edinson Cavani, Kylian Mbappe and Neymar. The campaign was part of the course for PSG who won their 45th title in Ligue 1. However, there was also disappointment with the club failing to qualify for the final stages of the Champions League.
How well did Buffon perform?
The years do not seem to be slowing Buffon down. The keeper was routinely at his best in France. Despite this, there were noticeable issues with the team’s defence. These lead to the early exit from the UCL.
Apart from this, Buffon found himself having to struggle to earn a place in the first team, something that had rarely been an issue in Italy. Alphonse Areola was Buffon’s rival for the keeper position at Paris Saint-Germain. The two split duties, with Buffon making 17 appearances for PSG in the domestic league. He also played in 5 of the team’s matches in the Champions League.
His performances in Ligue 1 were generally appreciated. Buffon earned 452 points (on Pro mode in FootballCoin). He earned 309 points on Easy mode. The leaderboard shows him sitting below the Ligue 1 Goalkeeper Top 10. It should be noted though that the result is strongly affected by the fact that he played less than half of the fixtures.
What happens to Gianluigi Buffon’s card and how will fantasy football fans be able to use it?
In FootballCoin, Buffon is represented by a 5* card. It’s the highest rating offered in the game and it reflects the player’s terrific achievements. FootballCoin fans can rest assured that they will be able to continue using the card. Here are the possible scenarios:
- Buffon retires. It’s unlikely he will, but in this case, the keeper will take on the role of Assistant Manager in the game. Each time he is used for a team he will automatically earn 15 points.
- Buffon moves back to Serie A. It’s the most likely scenario. In this case, the managers may pick him for the goalkeeper position, or they may choose him as manager due to his age. A player over 35 years old automatically becomes an AM
- Buffon moves to a league that is not supported in FootballCoin. In this case, the player may be used for the AM position.
Buffon continues to have a future, both in international football and in fantasy football. Don’t forget to register your drafts for the FootballCoin contests, with XFC prizes at stake.
Eduard Bănulescu
