Buffon bullish over Juve's title challenge

Juventus goalkeeper Gianluigi Buffon has said that his team's recent run of seven consecutive victories has given the club the confidence to challenge for the Serie A title.

The Italy number one has been missing from that run with a back injury that appears set to rule him out till 2009.

However, the 30 year-old told Juventus' website that his absence, along with other key players David Trezeguet and Mauro Camoranesi, has demonstrated the squad's strength.

"The last few games have shown that I'm not indispensible. My teammates have reacted in the best way to a difficult period.

"Continuing this way and with (Alessandro) Del Piero as he is (in such form), you can start to dream and push for all our objectives, including the championship."

Del Piero has been in impressive form in recent weeks, scoring twice in the Champions League win in Madrid and then with a free kick against Chievo and Buffon says he is not surprised by the 34 year-old's success from set-pieces.

"Stopping his freekicks is only possible if you play together. Certainly when the kick is like the one in Verona (against Chievo) it is difficult to stop.

"Ale is a perfectionist, in every training session he is more and more pernickety."