UEFA Champions League Final: Scouting Juventus FC Goalkeepers

The Champions League Final is just around the corner and unless you missed the memo, FC Barcelona will take on Juventus FC at the Olympiastadion in Berlin, Germany on Saturday June 6. The Italian champion has struggled to get back to European relevance ever since the Calciopoli scandal, but slowly and surely Juve has made it back to Champions League Final for the first time since 2003.

Juventus are certainly one of the biggest European clubs and their squad features some of football's best players. However, not all of those players are known to the casual football fans around the world as well as Gianluigi Buffon or Andrea Pirlo. But don't worry, because we have you covered, with a four-part series about the players currently playing for Juventus. This is the first part and it focuses on the goalkeepers.

Gianluigi Buffon

Gianluigi Buffon of Juventus FC celebrates a victory at the end of the UEFA Champions League semi final match between Juventus and Real Madrid CF at Juventus Arena on May 5, 2015 in Turin, Italy. (Photo by Marco Luzzani/Getty Images)

Position: Goalkeeper
Squad No.: 1
Date of birth: 28 January 1978
Place of birth: Carrara, Italy
Height: 1.91 m (6' 3'')
Weight: 83 kg (183 lbs)

Undoubtedly the No. 1 goalkeeper for the bianconeri. By far the longest tenured Juventus player, Buffon is a still considered one of the better goalkeepers in the world, despite his age of 37. A true club legend, Buffon is one of the classiest players to grace the football pitch. While he has lost some of his touch with age, the Italian's excellent positional sense and courage still make him the undisputed starter for the Old Lady. The four-time goalkeeper of the year has once again had a strong season between the uprights in Turin, leading Juventus to the best defensive record in Serie A and to the Scudetto, and has only given up three goals in six games of the Champions League knockout stages. A long time captain, Buffon is a leader both on and off the pitch and he could be one of the deciding players that will feature in the final.

Marco Storari

Marco Storari of Juventus FC looks on during the Serie A match between Juventus FC and Torino FC at Juventus Arena on November 30, 2014 in Turin, Italy. (Photo by Valerio Pennicino/Getty Images)

Position: Goalkeeper
Squad No.: 30
Date of birth: 7 January 1977
Place of birth: Pisa, Italy
Height: 1.87 m (6' 2'')
Weight: 76 kg (167 lbs)

Storari, who is actually the oldest player on the roster, has served as Buffon's primary backup for five seasons and has again been Juve's first choice goalkeeper for the Coppa Italia, backstopping the Turin-side to the Cup victory. While not as graceful and talented as his "younger" teammate, Storari is a very calm goalkeeper that owns fantastic reflexes as a result of which he's been able to save many close range shots in his career, but he has been known to make the occasional mistake when dealing with high crosses into his penalty area.

Rubinho

Fernando Rubens Rubinho the goalkeeper of Us Citta di Palermo reacts during the pre season friendly match between Us Citta di Palermo and Fenerbahce at Stadio Renzo Barbera on August 21, 2011 in Palermo, Italy. (Photo by Paolo Bruno/Getty Images)

Position: Goalkeeper
Squad No.: 34
Date of birth: 4 August 1982
Place of birth: Pisa, Italy
Height: 1.86 m (6' 1'')
Weight: 82 kg (181 lbs)

Rubinho has not played a single minute this season and something exceptional would have to happen in the coming days that the Brazilian would feature in the final. Still, at the age of 32, Rubinho is by far the youngest goalkeeper on the squad. He is an experienced shot-stopper, but with the aforementioned duo in front of him, Rubinho very rarely gets a chance to showcase his talents.

Overview

Massimiliano Allegri really has only one option here and that is to start Buffon. The legendary keeper, named in 2009 as the best goalkeeper ever by the IFFHS will surely have a busy night in goal facing off against Barcelona record breaking trio of Lionel Messi, Luis Suarez and Neymar, but history has proven that a goalkeeper "in the zone" can be the difference maker in a one-leg final. Storari is a very capable backup goalkeeper, but Allegri is surely hoping he will not need to use him. Rubinho will be forced to watch the game from the stands.