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Buffon Overcomes Panic Attack, Leads Juventus 1-0 Win

4/26/2026

29 6 Full Breakdown

Summary

Buffon Overcomes Panic

Gianluigi Buffon returned to the February 2004 Juventus-Reggina match after a panic attack and Juventus won 1-0.
He felt dizzy, short of breath and a tight diaphragm during warm-up while coach Ivano Bordon offered reserve Antonio Chimenti as a substitute.
After walking ten minutes and using self-talk, he saved a free-kick, blocked Ciccio Cozza’s lob, and later said he still suffers panic, poor sleep and fear of disappointing his parents and fans.

Summary

Buffon Chooses Rest

Being told ‘you don’t have to play’ gave Buffon a sense of choice that eased the oppressive feeling of duty.
The reassurance let him step back from the media controversy over why he did not play.
He said the phrase freed his stomach from anxiety, enabling him to manage whatever was wrong.
Buffon’s calm after the reassurance shows that autonomy can mitigate performance-related stress in elite sport.

Summary

Buffon Reveals Crisis

Buffon told Juventus doctor Riccardo Agricola he felt “stretched out”, could not stand and said he was “really in the shit now”, prompting a depression suggestion.
The memoir “Saved by Gianluigi Buffon”, sold by the Guardian bookshop in the UK and Ireland, records the exchange.
The book lists crisis-helplines—UK Samaritans 116 123, US Suicide Prevention Lifeline 988 (text HOME to 741741), Australia Lifeline 13 11 14—and cites befrienders.org.

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Buffon Overcomes Panic

Gianluigi Buffon returned to the February 2004 Juventus-Reggina match after a panic attack and Juventus won 1-0.
He felt dizzy, short of breath and a tight diaphragm during warm-up while coach Ivano Bordon offered reserve Antonio Chimenti as a substitute.
After walking ten minutes and using self-talk, he saved a free-kick, blocked Ciccio Cozza’s lob, and later said he still suffers panic, poor sleep and fear of disappointing his parents and fans.

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