Juventus the Strongest Team in UCL Says Gianluigi Buffon After PSG Qualify

Paris Saint-Germain goalkeeper Gianluigi Buffon believes his former club, Juventus, are the strongest team in this season's UEFA Champions League.

PSG secured top spot in a tough Group C on Tuesday after they beat Red Star Belgrade 4-1. 

But Buffon, 40, believes the Old Lady have proved themselves to be the best side so far in the tournament, especially after the summer addition of Cristiano Ronaldo from Real Madrid, per Sky (h/t Football Italia):

"Are Juventus the strongest team so far? Yes, because they're the team who have given very strong and precise indications, though we're certainly not finding that out this year. In recent years, I think we were one of the strongest teams in terms of mentality, togetherness and solidity. When you add Cristiano Ronaldo to that, it's clear Juve are the team no one wants to play."

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Buffon left Juve in the summer after 17 years having won nine Serie A titles.

He also won the Coppa Italia four times. However, despite reaching three Champions League finals with the Old Lady, he never won the tournament.

The last time Juve were crowned champions of Europe was back in 1996.

They have lost the final in two of the last four seasons, but with perennial Champions League-winner Ronaldo now in their ranks, they look better equipped than ever to triumph.

Their only weak spot could potentially be in between the posts.

Buffon's replacement, Wojciech Szczesny, is largely superb, but he was at fault in Juve's only defeat of the season when they gave up a 1-0 lead against Manchester United:

As a result of that defeat, Juve have yet to guarantee top spot in Group H.

If they fail to win at Young Boys on Wednesday and the Red Devils win away to Valencia, the Old Lady will advance to the last 16 in second place.

That would throw up the potential of Buffon playing against his former club in the first knockout round of the Champions League.

It is clear the Italy international is eager to return to his homeland at some point during the 2018-19 campaign. He expressed his disappointment at Napoli and Inter Milan's failure to advance from their groups on Tuesday, per Sky (h/t Football Italia): 

"I'd have been so pleased to see Napoli and Inter qualify for the next round, both for patriotic pride and because they had the chance. Napoli had a phenomenal group and Inter just needed a win against PSV. And also I'd have had more chance of returning to Italy in the draw."

But Buffon and PSG are unlikely to want to face Juventus so early in the competition, with the French giants looking to better their performances in the last two seasons when they were knocked out in the last 16.