Italy must stop thinking like losers, says Buffon

The Juventus keeper hit out at Italian newspapers as headlines in the past days contained more talk of a possible arrangement between Croatia and Spain for a 2-2 draw, a result which would send both teams to the quarter-finals, than on Italy's own crunch game against Ireland.

"For two days people have exclusively been talking about a biscotto," Buffon said on his personal Facebook page, using the colloquial term which roughly translates to ‘stitch-up'.

"A biscotto here, a biscotto there, a biscotto up, a biscotto down. Tt's as if we'd already beaten Ireland," he continued.

"Let us focus on ourselves and try to win the match. The rest is hot air, bar talk, the conjecture of mediocrity and thinking like losers."