Buffon: we must show character

ITALY will need to display character to handle the problems the Republic of Ireland will inevitably cause them in tomorrow’s World Cup qualifier at Croke Park, Gianluigi Buffon said last night.

With two games to go, Giovanni Trapattoni’s side need two points to guarantee themselves a play-off place, while victory would lift them within a point of the world champions and keep alive their slender hopes of qualifying directly as Group 8 victors.

So the Juventus goalkeeper believes the world champions will have to weather a few storms to avoid defeat in Dublin and book their tickets for South Africa in the process.