“On the way to the stadium I noticed that everyone on the coach was surprised to see me there and maybe a little worried that I’d be starting the match. That’s why I turned to (team-mate) Alessandro Melli and said, “I hope Milan get a penalty today so I can save it.”

“I knew that my performances in training in the week leading up to the Milan game would convince Scala to pick me.”

And convince Scala they did as the ex-Parma, Dortmund and Besiktas coach approached the young Buffon after training on the eve of the encounter with a test of his resolve.

“It was natural that he had doubts in his mind over my age and lack of experience so he came to me with a little smile on his face and he asked me: “If I put you in my starting XI tomorrow, would you be up to it?”

“I knew he was testing my reaction and so I replied: “Of course boss, if I wasn’t, what would I be doing here?” A confident comeback like that would reassure anyone.”

From then on, there was no looking back for Buffon and his appearance at the Stadio Tardini that night would be the catalyst for a remarkable two decades of success, silverware and critical acclaim.

“That match fast-tracked me to the top. If I had played badly I know I still would have become a top goalkeeper but everything I went on to achieve maybe would have happened three or four years later than they actually did.”

And as for a certain summer’s night in Berlin in 2006?

“Such is the strength of the emotion before matches as big as that, you never have the chance to soak it in beforehand.

“To have the opportunity to win the World Cup is the biggest goal you can have in your career and as a result, the feelings that it creates are unrivalled, I was completely overwhelmed at the final whistle. But, of course, if you lose, a final like that can also produce the complete opposite.”

As another emotionally charged evening approaches, we can be sure that Juve’s fate is once more in the safest of hands.