“To understand, you have to experience one of these moments. Underneath the shirt, there is a person, a beating heart, blood flowing through the veins. Respect to what Gigio has done. In these moments, when you conceded an important goal, this can happen,” Materazzi told La Gazzetta Dello Sport.

Although Materazzi defends Buffon, he also hints that an apology would do good, which Buffon so far hasn’t provided.

“In some time, I will ask him if he would laugh, looking back at the situation. I too have been wrong many times, the important thing is to understand it and maybe one day apologize. We are all human beings. I would’ve like to see this happen to me, just to see how many would defend me, like with Gigi,” Materazzi concluded.