Legendary ‘Keeper Gigi Buffon Handed One-Match Ban For BLASPHEMY!

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Juventus - Real Madrid - Buffon Red - Oliver - Apr 11th - 2018

The veteran Juventus goalkeeper Gianluigi Buffon has been handed a one-match ban for making a ‘blasphemous expression‘ and will miss Saturday’s Turin derby with Torino.

The Italian Federal Court of Appeal ruled against the 43-year-old on Tuesday.

Buffon was initially given a €5,000 fine over an incident which took place during a Serie A clash against Parma in December 2020.

The ageing Azzurri netminder was overheard using a “blasphemous expression” towards team-mate Manolo Portanova during Juve’s 4-0 league win over Parma on December 19th.

That sanction was appealed by the federal prosecutor, which was accepted by the Federal Court of Appeal, with Buffon’s punishment upgraded to a one-match suspension.

Back in 2010, the ‘Blasphemy Law’ was introduced and a number of players in Serie A have previously been caught out.

Many Italians consider blasphemy to be the worst kind of swearing in what remains a deeply religious, mostly Catholic country.

Buffon has only played five Serie A games this season with Poland’s Wojciech Szczesny the first-choice keeper.