Gianluigi Buffon hopes to play 3 more years

Another three years of Gianluigi Buffon will be a treat for the football world following yet another dominating season between the sticks.

The Juventus 'keeper helped his club reach the Champions League final, where he pulled off a pair of sensational saves before succumbing to the relentless Barcelona attack.

But before Barcelona buried the match, Buffon was convinced the tide had switched in his team's favour.

"There was a moment, a ten-minute spell, when we thought we had the match in our hands and that's exactly when we lost it," Buffon told reporters.

"We didn't manage to win, but not because we didn't try, we gave everything we had.

"Barcelona are the best team in the world in my opinion, but we have proved that we could compete."

Undeterred by losing such a monumental match at 37 years of age, Buffon expressed his desire to grace football fields across Europe well beyond Saturday's 3-1 loss in Berlin as he attempts to win that elusive Champions League crown.

"I want three more years at this level to reach a few more dreams," he said.

Perhaps a third time will be the charm after faltering at the final stage twice now.