Buffon targets Juve revival

Juventus goalkeeper Gianluigi Buffon said he is confident the club can return to the top and mount a serious Scudetto challenge.

The Turin-based club head into the new campaign with hope, rather than expectation, having finished only seventh in Serie A in the last two seasons.

Juventus have signed the likes of Andrea Pirlo and Arturo Vidal in order to improve their fortunes, and though Buffon reckons a big challenge lies ahead, he added that the fans fully support the squad.

“Along with this enthusiasm there is a great responsibility, because we know we have to start almost from scratch and we know that Juventus’ history calls for an immediate rebirth. We have to challenge from start to finish,” Buffon told the Corriere dello Sport.

“There is so much enthusiasm, after two bad years from Juve it is normal that the desire for revenge is so intense.

“Juventus are ready and the fans are fond of this squad. Any fan would be a little dissatisfied after these two years, but instead there was not one day in which the training camp was not filled with people.”

The 33-year-old custodian added that he hopes to put his fitness problems behind him after being afflicted by injuries in the last couple of seasons.

“I expect to play continously. In the last few years I have not been able to train and play in a continuous manner,” Buffon said.

“After I was operated on, I have never got an injury again, which is a good sign.”

“I feel fine and I think I have proved it in training. I hope to play at least 35 of the 38 (Serie A) games. I will skip the last matches because we will already have won the title by then!”