Buffon vows to be back in the New Year

Juventus goalkeeper Gianluigi Buffon claimed on Wednesday that he will be ready to make his return to first team action in the New Year.

Following this weekend's matches, the Serie A season takes a three week break before starting up again on January 10.

Buffon has only played in four out of Juve's 16 league matches this season and has been replaced by former Arsenal goalkeeper Alex Manninger.

In his absence, though, Juve have rebounded well from a terrible start in which they won only two of their first seven games and they are now second behind reigning champions Inter Milan.

“I think I'll be back in the New Year. Right now I feel good and I've even started training with the other goalkeepers again,” said Buffon, Italy's first choice stopper.

Juve have won eight out of their last nine Serie A matches, though, and Buffon believes they will need to continue this run to pull back the six-point gap with Inter.

“It will be difficult to keep these results going because when you're doing well it's difficult to get better, you can only get worse.

“We'll be happy just to maintain this form. We'll put pressure on Inter if we can keep this going.”