Antonio Conte was displeased with the transfer market deadline due to potential injury risks after their 2-1 win over Parma.

Debutant Romelu Lukaku and midfielder Andre Zambo Anguissa scored stoppage-time goals to earn the Italian his second victory as Napoli head coach, and provisionally move fourth in the standings.

However, he was concerned about not having squad depth while dealing with last-minute changes made to his team due to the transfer window closing on Friday, leaving him hoping his players can remain fit.

"We take these three points knowing full well that we have to work after this absurdity of the transfer market," Conte told reporters.

"Coaches have to train players who are going to leave and wait for players we've never worked with and don't know in what condition they'll be when they arrive.

"We had zero midfielders on the bench today, as yesterday [Gennaro] Iaccarino and [Coli] Saco went on loan. We had to pray that nothing happened to [Stanislav] Lobotka and Anguissa.

"I hope that things can change in the future, seeing as everyone is ready to change formats and rules."

Conte added he was pleased with Napoli's transfer window, as they added Scott McTominay and Billy Gilmour to their ranks on Friday, despite the failure of Victor Osimhen's move to Saudi Pro League side Al-Ahli.

"We did not just bring in players to build on an existing team but to fill certain empty slots, and I am happy with the work done by the club," he said.

"If we had been able to sell Osimhen, it would've been an even better situation, but what happened cannot be changed, and we move on."

Romelu Lukaku and Andre-Frank Zambo Anguissa scored in second-half stoppage time as Napoli fought back for a thrilling 2-1 victory over Parma in Serie A.

Newly promoted Parma, who stunned Milan last week, looked set to claim a second surprise win in as many games when Ange-Yoan Bonny won and converted a 19th-minute penalty.

The momentum of the game changed, however, when Parma goalkeeper Zion Suzuki was shown his second yellow card for a foul on David Neres with 15 minutes of the 90 remaining.

With no further substitutions available to the visitors, defender Enrico Del Prato took over in goal and went close to getting his team over the line with a clean sheet intact.

However, new signing Lukaku came off the bench to equalise for Napoli in the second minute of stoppage time, shortly after the Partenopei had seen a penalty overturned following a VAR review.

There was more drama to come at the death as Anguissa headed home in the sixth minute of stoppage time, though Napoli also had to survive one last scare as  Pontus Almqvist was denied by Alex Meret at the other end.

Data Debrief: Flying start for Lukaku

Just as Napoli's hopes seemed to be slipping away, up stepped debutant Lukaku to level with a low strike, setting the stage for the most remarkable of comeback victories.

Across the last five Serie A campaigns, Lukaku has 29 goals in 48 home games for Inter, Roma and Napoli. That is the fewest home games required by any player to net over 25 goals in the competition during that span.

Parma, meanwhile, were left to rue the sending-off of Suzuki, who became their first goalkeeper to see red in Serie A since Antonio Mirante against Sassuolo, back in March 2015.

Paulo Fonseca was left disappointed with Milan's lack of defensive responsibility in their shock 2-1 defeat to newly promoted Parma on Saturday. 

Milan were stunned inside 83 seconds when Dennis Man gave the hosts a shock lead, only for Christian Pulisic to restore parity just after the hour-mark. 

However, substitute Matteo Cancellieri struck in the closing exchanges to secure their first triumph over Milan in Serie A since 4-2 win back in March 2014. 

It marked an early bump in Fonseca's tenure with the Rossoneri, acknowledging that his side must improve at the back to succeed this season. 

"I'm disappointed. It's difficult to explain our defensive attitude. It's clear that we have a defensive problem," Fonseca told a press conference.

"For Parma it was too easy when they attacked. I'm not just talking to the defenders, I'm talking about the whole team, how they defend collectively and individually.

"I take responsibility for what the team does, but we have to recognise these defensive problems."

Milan created the better chances during the contest at Stadio Ennio Tardini, but only five of their 17 shots were on target, the same number as Parma managed from eight fewer attempts. 

The visitors also underperformed their expected goals (xG) by 1.01, missing three big chances while also striking the woodwork in the encounter. 

Of the 90 duels between the two sides, Parma had a success rate of 54.4% compared to Milan's 45.6%, with Fonseca left bemused by his sides underwhelming display.

"The team works well during the week, I think I see improvement in view of the match. Then today we arrive here and in the first situation we concede a goal," Fonseca added.

"We behaved badly defensively in all moments of the match. (There's) a problem to solve, of attitude. We need to work as a team.

"We lose the ball too easily. This allows a team that defends deep to create chances. We have made mistakes in preventive marking, defensive recoveries that we do not do together."

Promoted Parma pulled off a shock 2-1 home victory over AC Milan in Serie A on Saturday.

Defeat for Milan, their first against Parma in the top-flight since 2014, extended Paulo Fonseca's wait for his first win as coach of the Rossoneri.

Parma stunned Milan with an early opener through Dennis Man, who struck with his first touch after 84 seconds, having also netted on the opening weekend of the season.

Man is the first Parma player to score in the first two matchdays of a Serie A season since Alberto Paloschi in 2009-10.

Christian Pulisic equalised for Milan in the 66th minute after Rafael Leao fed a low pass into the path of the American winger, who finished from close range.

But, after being set up by fellow substitute Pontus Almqvist, it was Matteo Cancellieri who restored Parma's lead with 13 minutes left, and Parma held on to seal a famous victory.

Milan, who scored two last-gasp goals to secure a 2-2 draw in their season opener against Torino, remain on one point in the standings ahead of a key trip to play Lazio next week.

Data Debrief: Milan pay price for poor finishing

With Alvaro Morata out through injury, Milan lacked a cutting edge in this contest.

They managed 17 shots, but found the target with just five of them, scoring just once from an expected goals (xG) total of 2.01. Leao was among the main culprits, failing to trouble the goalkeeper from four attempts.

Parma managed the same amount of attempts on target as Milan (five) from just nine total shots, and Cancellieri has developed a reputation as a super sub.

Five of his six goals in Serie A have come as a substitute and four of those have come from the 70th minute of play onwards.

Paulo Fonseca confirmed that Noah Okafor will start up front in place of Alvaro Morata for Milan's Serie A meeting with Parma this weekend. 

Okafor, who signed from RB Salzburg in 2023, made 28 appearances in his debut year with the club, but only six were from the first whistle. 

The Swiss international scored six league goals last campaign, and got his tally up and running for the new season in Milan's 2-2 draw with Torino. 

Morata, who captained Spain to glory at Euro 2024, marked his debut for the Italian side with a goal, but was withdrawn from the action in the 30th minute. 

The 31-year-old picked up a thigh injury and is expected to be on the sidelines for the next three weeks, meaning Okafor has the chance to shine for Milan. 

"I have to be honest, Okafor will play tomorrow," Fonseca told a press conference.

"It will be a different game than the first one. We want to have the capacity to play higher compared to the game with Torino.

"During the week, Okafor responded well and the characteristics of the match suit his qualities. Luka (Jovic) could be useful later in the game."

Morata played 453 minutes for La Roja at the European Championships, scoring and assisting once on their way to a record fourth success in the competition. 

The Spaniard failed to complete the full duration of a match in Germany, managing his most minutes in a single game (80) against the hosts in the quarter-finals. 

After playing 48 times in all competitions for Atletico Madrid last year, he arrived at the San Siro with complaints of a muscular injury.

"He wanted to play, but together with my staff, we understood that it would be risky," Fonseca said.

"He told us he was fine. It's a problem when players arrive late and we need to play them, but I believe we handled the situation well."

England scrum-half Natasha Hunt believes this season’s Guinness Women’s Six Nations could be the most competitive in its 22-year history.

The tournament kicks off on Saturday when France host Ireland in Le Mans and Wales tackle Scotland at Cardiff Arms Park.

England, winners of 14 Six Nations titles and 12 Grand Slams since the tournament began in 2002, launch their campaign against Italy in Parma on Sunday.

The Red Roses’ two home fixtures against Wales and Ireland will be played at Ashton Gate and Twickenham respectively.

Wales’ appointment with Italy on April 27, meanwhile, is their first stand-alone women’s Test at the Principality Stadium, with a possible title decider taking place later that day between France and England in Bordeaux.

England are bidding for a sixth successive Six Nations crown, and the world’s number one-ranked team look like being tough to stop.

Former New Zealand men’s head coach and England assistant John Mitchell is now at the helm, while his support staff includes World Cup winner and 141 times-capped former Red Roses number eight Sarah Hunter.

“I think it could be the most competitive ever,” Hunt, 35, told the PA news agency.

“It took us (England) two or three years to reap the benefits of having our professional contracts, and Scotland and Wales are now in that boat.

“Everyone wants to watch games that go down to the wire so the more competitive the games are, the better it is for the viewer.

“We have got a whole new game-plan, a whole new system that we are trying to implement, and we want to get that right and do what we can to put our best foot forward.”

Mitchell has made several changes from the team that beat New Zealand in the WXV1 final in November, with Emily Scarratt, Abbie Ward and Zoe Harrison among those returning.

Skipper Marlie Packer, meanwhile, becomes the seventh England women’s player to clock up a century of caps.

Hunt, Mitchell’s scrum-half bench option this weekend, was a surprise exclusion from England’s 2022 World Cup squad and the Six Nations presents another opportunity to show her quality after a successful WXV tournament.

“It was quite a shock,” she added, reflecting on her World Cup omission.

“I was at a bit of a crossroads in my career, I guess. At my age, it would have been quite easy to have thought ‘this is it’.

“But I just felt that I had so much more to give. I absolutely love playing for my country, and rugby is the best game ever.

“It did take me a while to consider whether I wanted to put myself back into that environment or not, but when I made that decision that it was something I wanted to go after, I have thrown everything at it.”

Wales full-back Jenny Hesketh will make her Test bow against Scotland, with Rachel Malcolm leading a Scotland team that includes debutant Alex Stewart among her back-row colleagues, while 18-year-old Leinster wing Katie Corrigan wins a first Ireland cap against France.

For the first time in a women’s rugby competition, the bunker system will operate, allowing referees an option to refer incidents of foul play for review when a potential red card is not clear and obvious.

And instrumented mouthguards, which were a feature of the men’s Six Nations this season and are designed to help with identifying a need for head injury assessments and provide in-game alerts to medical teams, will be worn by players throughout the tournament.

Simone Inzaghi praised his Inter players who "play less" despite coming within minutes of being eliminated from the Coppa Italia on Tuesday.

The holders trailed Serie B side Parma 1-0 with just three minutes remaining at San Siro, before Lautaro Martinez equalised and Francesco Acerbi headed in the winner in extra time to save their blushes and send them through to the quarter-finals.

The irony of Acerbi heading in the winner was not lost on Inzaghi after the centre-back's effort against Monza in their previous game was ruled out by the referee, causing consternation among the Inter camp as his whistle meant that the VAR could not intervene on what appeared to be a questionable call.

Inzaghi was not in the mood to dwell on the weekend's 2-2 draw in Serie A, instead praising the players who came in for cup duty and, eventually, delivered.

"The whole world saw what happened in Monza, but we were only interested in this game," the Nerazzurri head coach said. "We were doing fairly well even if we had to move the ball better. Then with their goal it got complicated, but I had an excellent response from those who play less.

"I would have liked to avoid extra time, but last year too with Empoli [3-2 win after extra time] it was difficult."

Inter trailed to a superb strike from substitute Stanko Juric in the 38th minute, and did not have a shot on target until Martinez forced an equaliser in the 88th.

In the second half of extra time, Acerbi reacted to a punched clearance from veteran goalkeeper Gianluigi Buffon to head the ball over the 44-year-old and into the net.

Parma were the equals of their hosts for large parts of the contest, but Inzaghi insisted he was impressed by his team's effort.

"Those who have played the least have given excellent answers, we must continue like this," he added. "In the Champions League we have gone beyond expectations, in the league we lost points at the start, but there are many games to go."

Romelu Lukaku did not feature, but his coach believes the Belgium striker will have plenty to offer once they can get him fit and playing regularly.

"He remains fundamental for us," Inzaghi said. "He had an injury and had problems managing it. Saturday [v Monza] he was limited by his inflammatory problem. Tomorrow he will continue to rest, then day-by-day we would like to bring him back to the top. If we could have done that before, it would have given us the extra points we are missing."

Holders Inter are through to the quarter-finals of the Coppa Italia but had to survive a scare before eventually beating Serie B side Parma 2-1 after extra time at San Siro.

Stanko Juric's ferocious effort towards the end of the first half looked like it was going to be enough for Fabio Pecchia's team, before Lautaro Martinez found the equaliser with Inter's first shot on target in the 88th minute.

The Nerazzurri were holding on at times in extra time as well, before Francesco Acerbi won it with a fine header.

Simone Inzaghi made seven changes to the side that drew 2-2 at Monza on Saturday, with Danilo D'Ambrosio, Robin Gosens and Denzel Dumfries among those coming in, while Gianluigi Buffon started in goal for Parma, but the 44-year-old had very little to do for the first 87 minutes of the tie.

After a quiet opening, it was the Serie B side who took a surprise lead in the 38th minute when Adrian Bernabe's ball forward was flicked by Simon Sohm into the path of Juric, who had only been on the pitch for 12 minutes after replacing the injured Dennis Man, and he fired a rocket of a shot into the top right corner past the hopeful dive of Andre Onana.

As Inter continued to struggle to break Parma down in the second half, Inzaghi turned to his substitutes, including Edin Dzeko as he went for it with an attacking trio of the Bosnian alongside Martinez and Joaquin Correa, and it eventually paid off.

With just over two minutes of normal time remaining, a deep ball in from Kristjan Asllani was only cleared as far as Martinez, whose shot deflected off Yordan Osorio and past Buffon to the relief of the home fans and to force extra time, though not before the former Juventus keeper made a smart stop to deny Dzeko a late winner.

The impressive visitors took the game to Inter in the extra 30 minutes, with Antoine Hainaut firing just wide after intercepting a loose pass from Roberto Gagliardini, but Inter stepped it up in the second period and won it thanks to Acerbi after Buffon punched a Federico Dimarco cross straight to the waiting centre-back, who headed it back over him and into the net.

Italy great Gianluigi Buffon has no plans to call quits on his playing career in the near future, joking "I could retire at 55".

The veteran goalkeeper made his Parma debut back in 1995, aged 17, and returned to the Stadio Ennio Tardini last year after a season with Paris Saint-Germain either side of two spells with Juventus.

Buffon, who has made a record 176 appearances for the Azzurri, played 26 times for Parma in Serie B in the 2021-22 season as they finished 12th in the Italian second tier.

The 2006 World Cup winner signed a one-year contract extension last season, meaning he will continue playing football past the age of 46 in 2024.

As Buffon prepares for his 28th season as a professional footballer, he suggested he has no desire to hang up his boots just yet.

"I could retire at 55!" he told reporters at a news conference in Ducali on Friday. "I played ten years in Parma in my first life, then twenty years at Juve, one in Paris and now I close the circle again in Emilia.

"And I'm not 100 years old. For ten years I have been thinking about when I will stop, but then I always continue.

"I have had important experiences that have allowed me to know football, but I'm not 100 per cent sure I'll stay in this world [when I do retire]. Maybe I'll experience something else."

Buffon has played alongside some of the finest footballers in the world during his glittering career, in which he has lifted 11 league titles, 14 domestic cups and an unlikely UEFA Cup with Parma in 1999.

The 44-year-old has also finished runner-up in the Champions League on three occasions, and puts Neymar, Cristiano Ronaldo and Kylian Mbappe among the best players he has featured alongside.

"I can say the five strongest Italians: [Roberto] Baggio, [Francesco] Totti, [Alessandro] Del Piero, [Andrea] Pirlo and [Antonio] Cassano," he added. 

"For foreigners, I would say [Lillian] Thuram, Neymar, Mbappe, CR7 and Ibra [Zlatan Ibrahimovic]."

Gianluigi Buffon has signed a contract extension with Parma that will keep him at the club until June 2024.

The veteran goalkeeper made his Parma debut back in 1995, aged 17, and after two spells with Juventus and a season with Paris Saint-Germain he returned to the Stadio Ennio Tardini last year.

Italy great Buffon, who has made a record 176 appearances for the Azzurri, has appeared 23 times for Parma in Serie B this season, with Giuseppe Iachini's side currently in 13th.

His efforts have since been rewarded with a one-year extension, meaning he will continue playing football past the age of 46.

Parma president Kyle Krause announced Buffon's renewal at a news conference on Monday.

"I have great news, Gigi has renewed his contract until 2024," Krause said. "He is a great player, a pride for us: Gigi has a great passion for Parma, we are very happy for his support and his commitment."

Buffon lifted the Coppa Italia, Supercoppa Italiana and an unlikely UEFA Cup in 1998-99 with Parma before leaving for Juve in 2001.

His glittering career in Turin included 11 league championships – one of which came when they topped Serie B in 2006-07, Buffon having stayed at the club despite their relegation due to the Calciopoli scandal.

The 44-year-old also won five Coppa Italia titles and six Supercoppa Italiana crowns.

Buffon reached three Champions League finals with the Bianconeri, losing each one, before a brief spell at PSG preceded his return to the Allianz Stadium in 2019.

A winner of the 2006 World Cup, Italy's record cap holder made his final international appearance in a friendly with Argentina in March 2018.

In a wide-spanning career, Buffon has appeared 953 times at club level, which totals at a mammoth 85,286 minutes of action for his 404 clean sheets and 798 goals conceded.

He has managed 2,001 minutes on the pitch in the league for Parma this season, conceding 23 goals, as many appearances as he has made, while earning just the one shutout.

Buffon will hope to deliver his second clean sheet in Serie B at Monza on Wednesday.

Cristiano Ronaldo is set to be playing back at Old Trafford again in 2021-22 after Manchester United confirmed they have reached an agreement with Juventus for the transfer of the Portugal great.

While personal terms, a medical and visa are still to be sorted out for Ronaldo, it would take something remarkable to stop him from joining now after a deal reportedly worth up to €23million (£19.7m) was agreed with Juve on Friday.

For a short while it looked as though Ronaldo – who had asked to leave the Bianconeri – was heading to Manchester City after they missed out on the signing of Harry Kane.

But apparent interventions from Ronaldo's former United manager Alex Ferguson and old team-mate Rio Ferdinand may have swung the race in the Red Devils' favour.

Ole Gunnar Solskjaer seemed to open the door to Ronaldo during his news conference on Friday, and just a few hours later United confirmed a deal had been struck with Juventus.

Following confirmation of the deal, Stats Perform takes a look at greats who went back to their spiritual home, starting with the Portugal captain…

Cristiano Ronaldo – Manchester United

Ronaldo spent six years at Old Trafford during his last spell, arriving as a lanky teenager who probably averaged four stepovers per minute before leaving as a Ballon d'Or winner and an ice-cold finisher. His then-world record move to Real Madrid had been a long time coming and he spent nine years at the Santiago Bernabeu, becoming the club's all-time top scorer as he continued his transition from winger to out-and-out 'number nine'. There he won four Champions League titles before moving on to Juve, for whom he plundered 81 goals in 98 Serie A matches and picked up two Scudetti. But now he is all set for a return to England – whether he can match the standards he set last time remains to be seen, with his 31-goal haul of 2007-08 only bettered once in a 38-match season, though United fans will be convinced he can fire them to a first league title since Ferguson left.

Arjen Robben – Groningen

Robben's first retirement lasted just a single season, having announced last year he would be returning to his boyhood club Groningen for the 2020-21 campaign. Robben, now 37, initially brought an illustrious playing career to an end in July 2019 shortly after his 10-year spell with Bayern Munich finished. Although at the time he was linked with a potential return to the team that gave him his professional debut, Robben – who suffered with numerous injury problems throughout his career – opted to retire. He then caused something of a shock as he finally went back to the place where it all began, but once again injuries blighted his availability, restricting him to just seven Eredivisie appearances in 2020-21. Club director Mark-Jan Fledderus wanted him to stay on for another year, but when Robben said at the end of the season that he was going to have a long think about his future, the writing was seemingly on the wall. Another U-turn appears unlikely.

Juan Roman Riquelme – Argentinos Juniors

Perhaps more synonymous with Boca Juniors, where he made his professional debut and also spent most of his final years, Riquelme also had a strong affinity with Argentinos Juniors. He came through the club's academy in the early-to-mid 1990s, before then finishing his immense career at Estadio Diego Maradona in 2014, having also played for Barcelona, Villarreal and Argentina. Although the iconic attacking midfielder appeared close to joining Paraguay's Cerro Porteno the following year, the move never materialised.

Dirk Kuyt – Quick Boys

Kuyt briefly came out of retirement three years ago to help Quick Boys, with whom he spent 13 years as a youth. Playing in the Derde Divisie Saturday league, Kuyt was already working as assistant at the time, but made himself available for selection during a striker shortage and he made three appearances. The former Netherlands and Liverpool forward had retired the year before following a second spell with Feyenoord, where he had made his initial breakthrough in the mid-2000s, his form at the time earning a move to Anfield.

Rafael Marquez – Atlas

One of Mexico's greatest players, Marquez's longevity at such a high level was nothing short of incredible, as he accumulated 147 international caps. After breaking into the Atlas team as a teenager having come through their academy, the elegant centre-back enjoyed a sparkling career in Europe, winning 14 titles across spells with Monaco and Barcelona. Time with New York Red Bulls, Leon and Hellas Verona followed, before a final two-year stint back at the Jalisco ended in 2018. Although plagued by off-field allegations towards the end of his career, Marquez went on to become the club's sporting president, before standing down last in 2019 to focus on other areas of the sport. He was expected to be taking up a youth coaching role at Barca this season, but the deal ultimately fell through.

Henrik Larsson – Hogaborgs

While the Swedish club most may associate with Larsson is Helsingborgs, he actually made the breakthrough at a smaller side – Hogaborgs. It was here where he trained from the age of six, before eventually becoming a regular in the senior side and earning a move away. A trophy laden career followed, taking him to Feyenoord, Celtic, Barcelona and Manchester United. Although he retired in 2009, he returned to the pitch for Raa in the Swedish third tier three years later, before then finding himself back in the team at Hogaborgs in 2013, helping out due to an injury crisis despite him only previously being registered to a casual team for 'seniors'. This gave him the chance to play alongside his son, Jordan.

Carlos Tevez – Boca Juniors

The Tevez-Boca love affair has dominated most of the striker's successful and complex career. After coming through their youth ranks, the feisty forward was seen as the heir to Maradona. A brief stint in Brazil with Corinthians followed, but Europe had long since beckoned, even if West Ham was by no means the expected destination. He went on to play for Man Utd and City, increasing tension between the clubs, before then going to Juventus, but throughout this time Tevez seemed to long for a return to Boca. He went back to La Bombonera in 2015, his homecoming interrupted by a brief spell with Shanghai Shenhua in 2017 in the Chinese Super League, though even Tevez acknowledged he saw his time in China as a "holiday". "He filled Santa's sack with dollars and now he has returned to Boca," was Maradona's assessment upon 'El Apache's' return from the CSL. His third spell with Boca ended in June 2021 and it remains to be seen if he ever plays for another club.

Gianluigi Buffon – Parma

Buffon likes a comeback. Having returned for a second spell at Juventus in 2019, the goalkeeping great departed the club for a second time at the end of 2020-21. The Italy legend suggested he had not finished playing yet and Parma quickly emerged as a potential destination despite their recent relegation to Serie B. After a few weeks of contemplation, it was confirmed that Buffon was heading back to the club where he made his name. Now 43, the iconic stopper is wearing Gialloblu for the first time in 20 years, and he is set to remain with them until he turns 45, given he signed a two-year contract. What happens after that is anyone's guess but calling it a day with his first club could be a satisfyingly romantic conclusion to a remarkable career – that or he ends up at Juve again!

He is back where he belongs.
He is back home. #SupermanReturns @gianluigibuffon @Kyle_J_Krause @ParmaCalcio_en pic.twitter.com/bh2FO6P8YX

— Parma Calcio 1913 (@1913parmacalcio) June 17, 2021

Arjen Robben's playing days are officially over (again), with the Bayern Munich and Netherlands great confirming on Thursday that he is hanging up his boots.

Of course, this is not the first time Robben has made such a decision – he initially retired in 2019 after a decade with Bayern before returning to his first club Groningen.

Although the fairy-tale conclusion he may have hoped for never quite materialised, ending his career where it all began has seen his playing days come full circle.

In honour of Robben's retirement, Stats Perform takes a look at greats who have gone back to their spiritual home in the twilight stages, starting with an overview of the king of inverted wingers…

Arjen Robben - Groningen

Robben's first retirement lasted just a single season, having announced last year he would be returning to his boyhood club Groningen for the 2020-21 campaign. Robben, now 37, initially brought an illustrious playing career to an end in July 2019 shortly after his 10-year spell with Bayern finished. Although at the time he was linked with a potential return to the team that gave him his professional debut, Robben – who suffered with numerous injury problems throughout his career – opted to retire. He then caused something of a shock as he finally went back to the place where it all began, but once again injuries blighted his availability, restricting him to just seven Eredivisie appearances. Club director Mark-Jan Fledderus wanted him to stay on for another year, but when Robben said at the end of the season that he was going to have a long think about his future, the writing was seemingly on the wall. Another U-turn appears unlikely.

Juan Roman Riquelme - Argentinos Juniors

Perhaps more synonymous with Boca Juniors, where he made his professional debut and also spent most of his final years, Riquelme also had a strong affinity with Argentinos Juniors. He came through the club's academy in the early-to-mid 1990s, before then finishing his immense career at Estadio Diego Maradona in 2014, having also played for Barcelona, Villarreal and Argentina. Although the iconic attacking midfielder appeared close to joining Paraguay's Cerro Porteno the following year, the move never materialised.

Dirk Kuyt - Quick Boys

Kuyt briefly came out of retirement three years ago to help Quick Boys, with whom he spent 13 years as a youth. Playing in the Derde Divisie Saturday league, Kuyt was already working as assistant at the time, but made himself available for selection during a striker shortage and he made three appearances. The former Netherlands and Liverpool forward had retired the year before following a second spell with Feyenoord, where he had made his initial breakthrough in the mid-2000s, his form at the time earning a move to Anfield.

Rafael Marquez - Atlas

One of Mexico's greatest players, Marquez's longevity at such a high level was nothing short of incredible, as he accumulated 147 international caps. After breaking into the Atlas team as a teenager having come through their academy, the elegant centre-back enjoyed a sparkling career in Europe, winning 14 titles across spells with Monaco and Barcelona. Time with New York Red Bulls, Leon and Hellas Verona followed, before a final two-year stint back at the Jalisco ended in 2018. Although plagued by off-field allegations towards the end of his career, Marquez went on to become the club's sporting president, before standing down last in 2019 to focus on other areas of the sport. He is expected to be taking up a youth coaching role at Barca next season.

Juan Pablo Angel - Atletico Nacional

Angel perhaps never quite lived up to the expectations he set during his early days as part of River Plate's so-called 'Fantastic Four' with Javier Saviola, Ariel Ortega and Pablo Aimar, having joined from Colombia's Nacional. Nevertheless, he became a fan favourite at Aston Villa in the Premier League, before spending six years in MLS with New York Red Bulls, Los Angeles Galaxy and Chivas USA. In 2013 he returned to Nacional for two seasons, having left them in 1997. He called it quits in late 2014, just a few days after losing to his former club River in the final of the Copa Sudamericana. "I am ending my career with a final between the two clubs I love the most," he said.

Henrik Larsson - Hogaborgs

While the Swedish club most may associate with Larsson is Helsingborgs, he actually made the breakthrough at a smaller side – Hogaborgs. It was here where he trained from the age of six, before eventually becoming a regular in the senior side and earning a move to Helsingborgs. A trophy-laden career followed, taking him to Feyenoord, Celtic, Barcelona and Manchester United. Although he retired in 2009, he returned to the pitch for Raa in the Swedish third tier three years later, before then finding himself back in the team at Hogaborgs in 2013, helping out due to an injury crisis despite him only previously being registered to a casual team for 'seniors'. This gave him the chance to play alongside his son, Jordan.

Carlos Tevez - Boca Juniors

The Tevez-Boca love affair has dominated most of the striker's successful and complex career. After coming through their youth ranks, the feisty forward was seen as the heir to Maradona. A brief stint in Brazil with Corinthians followed, but Europe had long since beckoned, even if West Ham was by no means the expected destination. He went on to play for Manchester United and Manchester City, increasing tension between the clubs, before then going to Juventus, but throughout this time Tevez seemed to long for a return to Boca. He went back to La Bombonera in 2015, his homecoming interrupted by a brief spell with Shanghai Shenhua in 2017 in the Chinese Super League, though even Tevez acknowledged he saw his time in China as a "holiday". "He filled Santa's sack with dollars and now he has returned to Boca" was Maradona's assessment upon 'El Apache's' return from the CSL. His third spell with Boca ended in June 2021, though it remains to be seen if he ever plays for another club.

Gianluigi Buffon - Parma

Okay, he is not technically retired yet, so perhaps Buffon does not strictly qualify here. However, after departing Juventus for the second time at the end of 2020-21, the Italy great suggested he had not finished playing just yet. Parma quickly emerged as a potential destination despite their recent relegation to Serie B, and after a few weeks of contemplation, it was confirmed that Buffon was heading back to the club. Now 43, the iconic goalkeeper will wear the Gialloblu for the first time in 20 years, and he is set to remain with them until he turns 45, given he signed a two-year contract. What happens after that is anyone's guess but calling it a day with his first club could be a satisfyingly romantic conclusion.

He is back where he belongs.
He is back home. #SupermanReturns @gianluigibuffon @Kyle_J_Krause @ParmaCalcio_en pic.twitter.com/bh2FO6P8YX

— Parma Calcio 1913 (@1913parmacalcio) June 17, 2021

In a move that football purists, romanticists and aficionados of 1990s Serie A will be excited by, Gianluigi Buffon is returning to Parma after 20 years away.

Buffon came through the club's academy in the early '90s and made 220 appearances for them in all competitions, winning the Coppa Italia, Supercoppa Italiana and UEFA Cup during a six-year spell in the first-team.

Juventus made Buffon the world's most-expensive goalkeeper at the time when they paid €52million for him in 2001 and he played 685 times for them across two spells, 20 short of Alessandro Del Piero's club record.

Nevertheless, Buffon's longevity has ensured he is the record holder for the most Serie A appearances (657) and titles (10) in the league's history.

After leaving Juve at the end of the 2020-21 season, it was unclear what would be next for Buffon, but links with Parma began to stir despite their relegation to Serie B.

And on Thursday the club confirmed Buffon is back. While the days of challenging for major honours are long gone for Parma, the goalkeeping great represents a coup and the kind of transfer that tugs at heartstrings.

In honour of Buffon's momentous return, Stats Perform takes a look at other greats who've gone back to their spiritual home to close out their career.

Arjen Robben - Groningen

Arjen Robben's retirement lasted just a single season, as the Netherlands and Bayern Munich great announced last year that he was returning to his boyhood club Groningen for the 2020-21 campaign. Robben, now 37, initially brought an illustrious playing career to an end in July 2019 shortly after his 10-year spell with Bayern finished. Although at the time he was linked with a potential return to the team that gave him his professional debut, Robben – who suffered with numerous injury problems throughout his career – opted to retire. He then caused something of a shock as he finally went back to the place where it all began, but once again injuries blighted his season, restricting him to just seven Eredivisie appearances. It's unclear if he'll play on into 2021-22, though either way it's safe to assume Groningen will be where he retires once and for all.

Juan Roman Riquelme - Argentinos Juniors

Perhaps more synonymous with Boca Juniors, where he made his professional debut and also spent most of his final years, Riquelme also had a strong affinity with Argentinos Juniors. He came through the club's academy in the early-to-mid 1990s, before then finishing his immense career at Estadio Diego Maradona in 2014, having also played for Barcelona, Villarreal and Argentina. Although the iconic attacking midfielder appeared close to joining Paraguay's Cerro Porteno the following year, the move never materialised.

Dirk Kuyt - Quick Boys

Kuyt briefly came out of retirement three years ago to help Quick Boys, with whom he spent 13 years as a youth. Playing in the Derde Divisie Saturday league, Kuyt was already working as assistant at the time, but made himself available for selection during a striker shortage and he made three appearances. The former Netherlands and Liverpool forward had retired the year before following a second spell with Feyenoord, where he had made his initial breakthrough in the mid-2000s, his form at the time earning a move to Anfield.

Rafael Marquez - Atlas

One of Mexico's greatest players, Marquez's longevity at such a high level was nothing short of incredible, as he accumulated 147 international caps. After breaking into the Atlas team as a teenager having come through their academy, the elegant centre-back enjoyed a sparkling career in Europe, winning 14 titles across spells with Monaco and Barcelona. Time with New York Red Bulls, Leon and Hellas Verona followed, before a final two-year stint back at the Jalisco ended in 2018. Although plagued by off-field allegations towards the end of his career, Marquez went on to become the club's sporting president, before standing down last in 2019 to focus on other areas of the sport. He is expected to be taking up a youth coaching role at Barca next season.

Juan Pablo Angel - Atletico Nacional

Angel perhaps never quite lived up to the expectations he set during his early days as part of River Plate's so-called 'Fantastic Four' with Javier Saviola, Ariel Ortega and Pablo Aimar, having joined from Colombia's Nacional. Nevertheless, he became a fan favourite at Aston Villa in the Premier League, before spending six years in MLS with New York Red Bulls, Los Angeles Galaxy and Chivas USA. In 2013 he returned to Nacional for two seasons, having left them in 1997. He called it quits in late 2014, just a few days after losing to his former club River in the final of the Copa Sudamericana. "I am ending my career with a final between the two clubs I love the most," he said.

Henrik Larsson - Hogaborgs

While the Swedish club most may associate with Larsson is Helsingborgs, he actually made the breakthrough at a smaller side – Hogaborgs. It was here where he trained from the age of six, before eventually becoming a regular in the senior side and earning a move to Helsingborgs. A trophy-laden career followed, taking him to Feyenoord, Celtic, Barcelona and Manchester United. Although he retired in 2009, he returned to the pitch for Raa in the Swedish third tier three years later, before then finding himself back in the team at Hogaborgs in 2013, helping out due to an injury crisis despite him only previously being registered to a casual team for 'seniors'. This gave him the chance to play alongside his son, Jordan.

Carlos Tevez - Boca Juniors

The Tevez-Boca love affair has dominated most of the striker's successful and complex career. After coming through their youth ranks, the feisty forward was seen as the heir to Maradona. A brief stint in Brazil with Corinthians followed, but Europe had long since beckoned, even if West Ham was by no means the expected destination. He went on to play for Manchester United and Manchester City, increasing tension between the clubs, before then going to Juventus, but throughout this time Tevez seemed to long for a return to Boca. He went back to La Bombonera in 2015, his homecoming interrupted by a brief spell with Shanghai Shenhua in 2017 in the Chinese Super League, though even Tevez acknowledged he saw his time in China as a "holiday". "He filled Santa's sack with dollars and now he has returned to Boca" was Maradona's assessment upon 'El Apache's' return from the CSL. His third spell with Boca ended in June 2021, though it remains to be seen if he ever plays for another club.

Gianluigi Buffon has returned to Parma, the club where he began his senior career 20 years ago.

The veteran goalkeeper left Juventus at the end of the 2020-21 season and was reportedly approached by Turkish Super Lig giants Besiktas, and Flamengo.

The Italy great has instead chosen to return to Stadio Ennio Tardini, where he developed as a youth and spent six years in the senior team after making his debut back in 1995 at the age of 17, keeping a clean sheet against a Milan side featuring the likes of Roberto Baggio and George Weah.

Roberto D'Aversa, the Parma head coach, was a teenager on the Rossoneri's books at the time.

Parma announced the return of their "superman" via a video released on Twitter, showing Buffon digging up a time capsule buried beneath one of the goals at the famous old ground.

Buffon won the Coppa Italia, Supercoppa Italiana and famously the 1998-99 UEFA Cup with Parma before leaving for Juve in 2001.

His glittering career in Turin included 11 league titles – one of which came when they topped Serie B in 2006-07, Buffon having stayed at the club despite their relegation due to the Calciopoli scandal.

Buffon also won five Coppe Italia, most recently last season, and six Supercoppe Italiana. He reached three Champions League finals with Juve, losing each one.

He spent 2018-19 with Paris Saint-Germain, winning Ligue 1 and the Trophee des Champions, before returning to the Allianz Stadium two years ago.

A winner of the 2006 World Cup, Buffon's 176 Italy caps is a record for the Azzurri, his final appearance coming in a friendly with Argentina in March 2018.

Buffon, who turns 44 next January, will spend 2021-22 in Serie B, Parma having been relegated last season after winning just three games.

Gianluigi Buffon is considering several options as he plans to carry on playing, with the veteran goalkeeper heavily linked with a return to Parma.

Buffon announced he would be ending his second stint with Juventus following the conclusion of the 2020-21 season, though has made clear he is not ready to retire just yet.

The 43-year-old – who won 176 caps for Italy – has revealed he has offers from clubs set to compete in the Champions League, as well as the possibility of returning to his "origins".

It has been widely reported in the Italian media that Parma are close to tempting their former player back to potentially end his illustrious career where it all started.

Spanish heavyweights Atletico Madrid and Barcelona have also been linked with Buffon, who intends to reveal his future plans this week.

"On the table I have many proposals that touch different keys," he said when speaking to the Italian media on Monday.

"There are teams that make the Champions League and have offered me a leading role, others that aspire to win it but want me as a secondary option, and I only did that role for Juve.

"Then there would be the return to my origins, which produces different feelings and gives me the motivation I need to do well.

"I'm putting everything on the table and in three or four days I will decide, I have to figure out which is the best thing to be a leading protagonist."

Buffon came through Parma's academy in the early 1990s and went on to play over 200 games for them across all competitions. 

Juve made him the world's most expensive goalkeeper at the time in 2001, costing in the region of €52million. He left in 2018 to join Paris Saint-Germain, though headed back to Turin the following year.

During his time with Parma, Buffon won the the Coppa Italia, UEFA Cup and Supercoppa Italiana. However, a return would see him plying his trade in Serie B following their relegation from the top flight.