Buffon secures 2nd all time in Serie A appearances

Gianluigi Buffon is targetting another record.

The longtime Juventus shot-stopper recorded his 616th Serie A appearance in Saturday's match against Chievo, passing Inter flag bearer Javier Zanetti for second all time in league history.

Last month, Buffon, 39, played in his 1,000th professional match for club and country, representing Italy in a World Cup qualifier against Albania. He kept a clean sheet on that night in Palermo - the 426th shutout of his career - and firmly cemented his place in the pantheon of football greats.

Paolo Maldini had long been the benchmark in Italy, as his longevity with and his loyalty to AC Milan brought him seven Serie A titles and five Champions League crowns.

Should Buffon remain healthy, however, he could - and probably should - surpass Maldini next season. The former Parma goalkeeper needs to play in just 32 more Serie A contests to make the record his own.