Drowning in the banter-sphere: how can the Premier League rivals handle the heat? | Barney Ronay

Guardian columnist Barney Ronay explores the psychological pressures facing Premier League players and managers in the modern era of social media banter and meme culture. Using Gianluigi Buffon's new book 'Saved' as a starting point, the piece references how even elite players like Buffon and Gennaro Gattuso were gripped by nerves before the 2006 World Cup final against France, with Buffon spending the night smoking in the hotel corridor unable to sleep. The article examines how today's relentless online taunting and gloating adds a new layer of mental strain on top of the traditional psychological pressures of top-level football.