G.Buffon feels Godlike

G.Buffon feels Godlike

Juventus goalkeeper Gianluigi Buffon feels he is in the form of his career.

Buffon has drawn media praise for his performances this season and his form was highlighted when he was the only Italian player shortlisted for FIFA's World Player of the Year award.

"There are always periods in which you feel unbeatable and others in which you are less so," Buffon told Sky Sport 24 ahead of Saturday's Serie A clash with Napoli.

"This is certainly one of the best moments in my career, also thanks to the motivation I derived from criticism, sometimes unjustified, which I received last year."

The rest of the Juve team have not always matched his performances so far this term but hit their stride in style on Wednesday when they beat Sampdoria 5-1 to leapfrog their opponents into second place in the table.

Before the match, the Juve team had spoken of needing a spark to ignite their season.

"It was more like a nuclear explosion rather than a spark," said Buffon.

"Nobody expected such a performance, but on the other hand the qualities of the players were those we saw and we were hoping we would manage to show them.

"In big matches, like Roma and Lazio and now Sampdoria we always manage to do this.

"The fact is that there aren't many matches of this level in the championship and in the others we must not lose points with which we can fight for important objectives."

Coach Ciro Ferrara is hoping that performance has set the standard for the rest of his side's season.

"This should be the charge that launches us," he told www.juventus.com. "It is true we came from a series of negative results and this conditioned us but we showed that we can come back and now we have to maintain this."

Facing Napoli will be a big occasion for Ferrara as it throws together the two clubs between which he split his entire playing career.

And he will know his charges will have to maintain their level against the side that launched his career.

The Partenopei have blown hot and cold this season but showed immense spirit to fight back against AC Milan on Wednesday.

The Rossoneri were 2-0 up after 89 minutes but a volley from Luca Cigarini and German Denis' header deep into stoppage time earned the hosts an unlikely point.

Both goalscorers were substitutes on the night, leaving coach Walter Mazzarri with some interesting decisions for tomorrow's game.

Dernis said: "We reacted really well and we never gave up hope.

"I am happy with my goal but more so with the fact that the team is playing well.

"The important thing is to continue on this path."

Saturday may see the return of Juventus captain Alessandro Del Piero, who is back in training after a muscular injury.

Defender Martin Caceres broke his nose in training on Tuesday and has since had surgery so will miss out, but could be fit for the midweek Champions League game against Maccabi Haifa.

For Napoli Juan Camilo Zuniga, a reported Juve target, and Fabiano Santacroce trained today but are not expected to play.

The match could also see the Cannovaro brothers - Juve's Fabio and Paolo of Napoli - play against each other.