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Gianluigi Buffon

Footballers usually throw their jersey to fans at the final whistle but Juventus goalkeeper Gianluigi Buffon stunned one supporter by giving him his shorts after Wednesday’s Champions League draw against Barcelona.

The 39-year-old Buffon was competing for the first time since his emotional international retirement after Italy’s failure to qualify for the World Cup.

Barcelona advanced to the last 16 after the 0-0 draw in Turin but Juventus remain second in the group and can secure their qualification with victory at Olympiakos on December 5. An exuberant Buffon ran to hug Barcelona’s Ivan Rakitic after the game following a social media exchange on the eve of the game when the Croatian had said he would love to tell the Italian goalkeeping great to take his place in the 2018 World Cup.

After embracing Rakitic, Buffon then pulled off his orange shorts and ran towards the tunnel in his Y-fronts to the cheers of the delighted crowd.

“This is only a point tonight, but it’s a good point,” Buffon later Tweeted. —  AFP.