Buffon: My Champions League dream? History says that Real Madrid are the best Juventus vs Real Madrid Interview about Real Madrid, Ronaldo and more

Gianluigi Buffon remains determined to win his first ever Champions League, but the Juventus goalkeeper is aware of just how difficult it will be to knock out Real Madrid in the quarter-finals.

Of course, Los Blancos put four past Buffon and Juventus in last season's final on their way to La Duodecima.

The shot-stopper discussed that defeat, this season's objectives and much more in an interview with MARCA.

It's just 300 days since the final in Cardiff...

"I know and I also know that I am 40 years of age, so I've not changed too much. We hope that this time it will all be different and that we can change the feeling of what happened in Cardiff."

Can you explain why over two legs Juventus seem capable of defeating Real Madrid, but why they can't do so in finals?

"There is no explanation, but I'd like to start winning the finals. The same thing has happened to us against Barcelona. We can win a clash of 180 minutes, but lose over 90. We will have to start playing 180 minutes in the finals. It's hard to find an explanation, but it shows that we do know how to play at this level. It's clear that teams don't play the same when a match is 90 minutes long and not 180 minutes."

Have you replayed what happened in the final in your mind a lot?

"Of course, although it will never change. The strongest team on the pitch that day won. What we need to do now is to set out our quality and our way of playing in order to make it even."

What happened in the Cardiff final for it to end with such a large scoreline?

"The best team won, but we weren't that bad to be beaten so heavily. There are moments in these matches when luck smiles on you and on that day it did not help us."

Do you know exactly what you have to do to defeat Real Madrid?

"We have to set out on the pitch our best qualities, which is what our coach will do."

When you lost the final in Cardiff you said the Champions League was an impossible dream. Do you still think the same thing now that you face Real Madrid again?

"Real Madrid are a better team than Juventus. This isn't what I say, it's what history says, based on honours and numbers. Against such a situation I think winning a Champions League remains a dream, one which will be very difficult to achieve. We can compete against Real Madrid, but they have shown over their history and over the past few years that they have something special and something different."

What is this thing they have that makes them different?

"Well, they're the best team in the world by some distance. Does anyone doubt that? To have won three Champions Leagues in the last four years says everything. They're number one and nobody can deny that."

Are Real Madrid invincible in Europe?

"No, no team is invincible. They're a very difficult team to beat. Real Madrid might be the favourite, but the tie is 50:50. We must be ambitious. There is history and then there's the present. Juventus are also a great team, one which knows how to win titles."

Do you think the first leg will be like the Cardiff final or like the tie from three seasons ago?

"Each match is different. I wouldn't like it to be like Cardiff. We are playing well, but we're not favourites. We know the opponent we're up against and the goal is to be in the fight until the final minutes of the second match at the Estadio Santiago Bernabeu."

With Cristiano Ronaldo in good form, he's showing he wants to keep making history, right?

"I have unlimited admiration for Cristiano Ronaldo. He has been able to improve with age. I admire him because he's a person who knows what he's doing and he is pragmatic. In recent years he has shown that he is intelligent. He has changed his position, he wastes less energy, yet he is just as lethal. In front of goal he is a real assassin. The only player I've seen have this clarity when shooting on his own is David Trezeguet. I was lucky enough to play against the Brazilian Ronaldo and against Zlatan Ibrahimovic, but Cristiano Ronaldo is collecting record after record and he has my complete admiration."

Your friend Iker Casillas is playing his 1,000th match this Monday.

"Along with Petr Cech, us three have defined an era of football in the past and in the present. If we keep being important for our teams then it means that all of the praise was deserved because Casillas, first with Real Madrid and then with Porto, is showing he has a quality that is not normal."