French stopper Frey desperate to emerge from Buffon´s shadow

French goalkeeper Sebastien Frey said he is fed up with playing second fiddle to Italy’s number one stopper Gianluigi Buffon in an interview published in the Gazzetta dello Sport on Saturday.

Frey’s Fiorentina travel to Buffon’s Juventus in Saturday’s late Serie A match with much at stake for both sides.

Juve are just three points behind leaders Inter Milan and could take over top spot, for 24 hours at least, with a victory.

La Viola, meanwhile, are challenging for a top four finish and Champions League qualification for the second year in a row but their hopes have been hit by two straight defeats.

Frey is regarded as one of the best goalkeepers in Serie A but once again Buffon scooped the top goalkeeper award for 2008 in the Italian football Oscars, something which is starting to rile Frey who was once again named in the top three, alongside Inter’s Julio Cesar.

“I’m not too pleased that once again we finished in this order (Frey was second),” he said.

“I’ve been in the top three for the last seven years but I’ve never won.”

It is not just in Serie A that Frey is a perpetual bridesmaid, he has also had to get used to that role in the France squad, winning just two caps.

But he is still dreaming on all fronts.

“I want to win in purple (Fiorentina’s colours), I want to lift as many trophies as possible,” he said.

“That’s the one thing I envy of Gigi (Buffon), his incredible trophy cabinet.

“My dream is the World Cup in South Africa, a final between France and Italy with everything decided on a penalty shoot-out and I save one more than Gigi.

“That would be the perfect scenario but right now the national team is a dream, things are a bit foggy.”

That’s not so clear because back in August the 28-year-old announced his international retirement to concentrate on his club career, although that only came after a snub from France coach Raymond Domenech for a friendly against Sweden.

Looking back at the protracted transfer saga involving Kaka and Manchester City, Frey said he admired the Brazilian’s choice to stay loyal to AC Milan, but stopped short of suggesting he would do likewise with Fiorentina.

“I’m not thinking about it, not now, it’s just a hypothesis and I’m not the one coming up with it,” he said about a possible transfer to City.

“However, it would depend on many things. It’s not just about money, in football, as in life, what counts is having a plan.”