Italy head into UEFA Euro 2024 with a scoreless draw against Turkey and a 1-0 win over Bosnia and Herzegovina in their two friendlies to prepare for the competition.
Luciano Spalletti and his team will open the tournament against Albania on Saturday at Signal Iduna Park. Gianluigi Donnarumma will be counted on between the pipes to give the team a shot to win.
However, another goalkeeper on the Italian side giving the PSG star competition is Tottenham Hotspur shot-stopper Guglielmo Vicario. Ahead of Italy’s opening Euro match this weekend, former Juventus goalkeeper Gianluigi Buffon weighed in on the goalkeeping situation heading into the tournament.
“I think Donnarumma is a cornerstone of our national team and a strong point,” Buffon said (h/t Football Italia). “He put in an exceptional performance against Bosnia, with a fantastic save, very difficult. This gives us even more certainty because we know we can rely on a strong player in difficult moments.
“Vicario is a very reliable coach who is doing well, and the Premier League has allowed him to take a further step forward. Meret is also experienced. Italy can rely on many talented goalkeepers in the coming years, as far as I am concerned.”
Donnarumma made 42 total appearances this past 2023-24 season for PSG, registering 16 clean sheets. Meanwhile, Vicario made 40 appearances across all competitions while recording eight clean sheets for Tottenham.
It will be interesting to see if Donnarumma holds onto the starting job throughout the tournament or if Vicario sees playing time.
