Many fans of Juventus bet on the ability of Portuguese star Cristiano Ronaldo to get the team to win the Champions League, but veteran goalkeeper Gianluigi Buffon saw a different opinion.
"The influence of Lionel Messi will make Barcelona the first candidate to win the European championship because the Argentine international is the best player in the world," he said.
Juventus and Buffon did not join Juventus. Last summer's transfer saw the departure of the veteran goalkeeper to Paris Saint-Germain and the signing of the Don from Real Madrid.
As for his career, the 40-year-old Express newspaper quoted Buffon as saying he would continue to play "as long as he could compete," adding that he was "lucky to be receiving offers from big clubs."
Both Messi and Ronaldo have achieved Champions League successes. The Juventus striker won the title in 2008 with Manchester United and repeated four times with Real Madrid.
Messi took the trophy with Barcelona in 2006, 2009, 2011 and 2015.
Buffon, who crowned the World Cup with Italy in 2006, dreams of carrying the "trophy with his ears" that he has struggled with throughout his career.
