What’s the story?
Ahead of their game against Inter Milan on the 5th of February, Juventus goalkeeper, Gianluigi Buffon has alerted his team-mates to the threat that in-form Inter Milan possess and how they are better than Barcelona and Real Madrid at the moment.
Speaking to Sky Sports after his side’s 2-0 win over Sassuolo on Sunday, Buffon gave his thoughts on the Nerazzurri.
"We now have the game against Inter coming up, who are better than Real Madrid and Barcelona on current form," said the legendary goalkeeper. "It will be a very difficult game, we have a lot of respect for them. Inter are very strong, they showed just that when we met in the first half of the season."
Despite being nine points clear of the San Siro club, Juventus will be wary of their threat having already lost to them in the first half of the season.
In case you didn’t know...
Over the last few weeks, Inter Milan have enjoyed an excellent run of form in the Serie A. Saturday’s 3-0 victory over Pescara also marked their 9th consecutive win in all competitions this season. The Italian giants have managed to grab all three points in every game since their defeat at the hands of Napoli in December last year.
New coach Stefano Pioli has been instrumental in the progress of the Nerazzurri after replacing Frank de Boer at the helm. The 51-year-old Italian manager took over from de Boer after a miserable start to the 2016/17 season and has sparked them into life somewhat. The club are currently 4th in the Serie A, nine points behind Juventus.
Pioli’s side drew first blood against the Old Lady after beating the reigning Italian champions 2-1 earlier in the season.
The heart of the matter
Having already suffered a defeat earlier in the season, Buffon has realised that underestimating Inter Milan can cost them crucial points in the race for the title. Given their recent form and the tactical expertise of Pioli, the Nerazzurri could once again grab all three points from the league leaders.
What's next?
Before facing Juventus on Sunday, Inter will square off against Lazio in the Coppa Italia quarter-final to be held on the 1st of February.
Sportskeeda’s Take
The Italian giants, who once struck fear into the hearts of oppositions all over Europe, are finally looking like a team capable of beating the very best on their day. Thanks to their new manager, Stefano Pioli, Inter could finally get back on the map as one of the best teams in Europe.
