Buffon Ready To Fight On Three Fronts With Juve
MILAN, Feb 18 (Reuters) - Juventus goalkeeper Gianluigi Buffon says Tuesday's Champions League match with Deportivo Coruna, marks the start of a fight on three fronts that he is relishing.
Italy keeper Buffon joined Juventus in the summer from Parma and says the enjoyment of the Turin club's challenge for triple trophy success is exactly why he moved.
'I left Parma for reasons that are well known - I am ambitious and I want to win,' said Buffon.
'Here I am being helped to realise my dreams. At this stage in the season we are in the fight for the Italian title, the Champions League and we are in the final of the Italian Cup. That makes me proud.'
Juve lost their last Champions League game, before the competition's winter break, at Arsenal - a result which combined with some shaky domestic form led to talk of a crisis at the Delle Alpi stadium.
But since then they have risen to the top of Serie A with a series of impressive performances and face Deportivo in confident mood after a comfortable 2-1 win over Fiorentina on Saturday.
Buffon says that the bedding-in of the club's summer signings combined with the return of two experienced campaigners has been behind the revival of Marcello Lippi's squad.
'I believe that the reawakening of Pavel Nedved, Lilian Thuram and myself together with the return to form of Antonio Conte and Ciro Ferrara has created a stronger unit and you can see the results,' said the keeper.
But Buffon says there is no question of Juve allowing their fine form in Serie A to underestimate Deportivo.
'These next two games in Europe are very important for us. I saw Deportivo's game on Saturday against Barcelona, in which they lost 3-2 right at the end. They are a good team who play good football,' said Buffon, with an eye on the return in Spain next week.
Juventus coach Marcello Lippi said he rates Deportivo highly.
'They are a strong side and they have shown that by the way they compete in a league with great teams like Real Madrid, Barcelona, Valencia and Celta Vigo. They have some top players, particularly a great centre-forward in Diego Tristan. They are opponents that merit respect,' said the Juve coach.
'We are at the start of a tremendous period with all these important games coming up. But we are ready,' added Lippi.
Juve's Uruguayan defender Paolo Montero is doubtful with a calf injury and so, with Croat Igor Tudor still sidelined, Lippi will turn to Italy international Mark Iuliano to partner Ferrara in the centre of the defence.
The absence of Czech midfielder Pavel Nedved, through suspension, is likely to force Lippi to revert to a 4-4-2 formation with Dutch international Edgar Davids drafted in on the left side of midfield.
Gianluca Pessotto will drop back to an orthodox left-back position, while Antonio Conte will make his first Champions League appearance of the season after regaining his central midfield berth.
