Di Vaio agrees Buffon’s constant battle with injury means he is no longer the keeper he once was. The Juve number one is in the squad for the Azzurri’s Euro 2012 qualifier against Slovenia on Friday and subsequent friendly against Ukraine, but the hitman says it’s time for him to step aside, in a frank and stunning assessment.
“At the moment I believe Viviano is stronger in terms of consistency,” Di Vaio told Goal.com.
“Buffon has an incredible history though, and I hope Viviano can repeat it. Buffon was for years the greatest, but this season he is paying for the long injury. Emiliano has the character to become the next Buffon for the next ten years.”
Staying with Juventus, Di Vaio explained why he snubbed the chance to return to his former club in the summer, and although Milan were also chasing him, the appeal of playing for Bologna has clearly not faded.
“I did not reject anything, I just said I wanted to end my career with Bologna,” Di Vaio added.
“For this reason myself and the club found an agreement. Bologna is the city which has given me so much and I wanted to return that. I don’t think I can ever find better than what I have here.”
Speaking about retirement in future, the Italian made clear he would not consider a coaching role at the Renato Dall’Ara.
“I don’t know what I would do as I still have the player’s mentality,” he said.
“But, I would not want to ever coach the first team. I want to remain at Bologna though.”
Midfielder Gaston Ramirez, 20, has been linked with a possible move to Inter, and Di Vaio sagely advised his team-mate before he ponders making the step up elsewhere.
He concluded: “Ramirez is a good player and he has all the potential to become great, but it all depends on him, if he makes sacrifices, and whether he wants to learn. In any case, he can become a champion.”
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Bologna’s Marco Di Vaio Believes Emiliano Viviano Should Replace Gianluigi Buffon As Italy’s Number One