After more than a fortnight away from home, with little to do but go training and assist in the build-up for the next match, both men were accustomed to a life of blissful, if dull, banality and a seat on the substitutes' bench.
Every day must have seemed the same with only a nagging, unwanted, fear that their squad's revered captain and senior goalkeeper Gianluigi Buffon may fall ill, or get injured, occasionally interrupting the routine.
Only an act of unexpected drama, they imagined, could interfere with their habitual long hours of recreation and relaxation in the team's luxury country house hotel.
All this changed on Friday, however, when both were summoned, along with the man widely acclaimed as the world's greatest keeper, to attend a news conference at the Casa Azzurri, the Italian media's home from home at the tournament.
Most reporters expected Buffon, who will make his 118th appearance for Italy when they meet England in Sunday's quarter-final in Kiev, to take centre stage in the Casa's main upstairs interview room.
"[Leonardo] Bonucci says Italy are better than England - what do you think?" he was asked.
"I'm not so much in agreement with Bonucci - and not in front of you," he replied, saving himself from embarrassment.
Then came a routine question to the established 'numero uno' about his research for the unwanted prospect of a penalty shootout.
"Will Gigi be watching videos with his team-mates?," he was asked.
It was contagious and Buffon's creased and foreboding face broke into a wide smile.
"Tonight," he spluttered between peals of laughter. "With my team-mates. I will look at a video - and try to document
