*Resists urge to do the obvious thing of beginning article with a blasphemous phrase*
Gianluigi Buffon could be facing a one-match ban after allegedly directing a blasphemous term at a Juventus teammate during a game at Parma last month.
The soon-to-be 43-year-old is alleged to have shouted ‘Porco Dio!’ when he became exasperated with Manolo Portanova during a 4-0 away win on December 19. The term roughly translates to English as ‘God is a pig’.
Many Italians consider blasphemy the worst form of swearing, with the country introducing its own blasphemy law in 2010.
The Italian FA are now investigating Buffon’s alleged use of language, confirming earlier this week that the matter had now been passed on to the country’s federal court. A one-game ban is the expected outcome.
According to reports, Buffon had been instructing Portanova on his positioning when he uttered the term.
As we were all reminded on Tuesday night, when Zlatan Ibrahimovic and Romelu Lukaku exchanged a barrage of insults in the Coppa Italia Milan derby, a lack of fans makes it much easier for those watching at home to pick up what’s been said between players.
If Buffon’s likely to get a one-game ban, God goodness knows what might be coming their way.
