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Buffon: Juventus 'must improve' to be true Champions League contender

Reuters

Ageless Juventus captain Gianluigi Buffon wasn't satisfied with his side's fortuitous 1-0 victory over Lyon on Tuesday, the 38-year-old goalkeeper insisting the Old Lady must get better to challenge the competition's elite.

Juventus, playing much of the second half with 10 men after Mario Lemina was shown his second yellow card, won the match through a fierce Juan Cuadrado strike in the 76th minute.

Related - Watch: Cuadrado unleashes rocket as 10-man Juventus tops Lyon

And yet, it was Buffon who stole the show; the Italian turned aside an Alexandre Lacazette penalty in the opening stanza, and made a handful of second-half interventions - including one outstanding reaction save on a deflected shot that earned him the applause of opposite number Anthony Lopes.

While he will be pleased with his individual showing, Buffon admits the Bianconeri need to be far better if they have any hope of being the final team standing in Europe's marquee competition.

"Juve must improve because this is not enough to go all the way," Buffon said, as quoted by ESPN FC. "I know what we did when we were 11 against 11 and it's not enough. Ironically we were more a team when we remained with 10 men.

Related - Watch: Buffon saves 1st Champions League penalty in 13 years

"The spirit is good but there is huge room for improvement. It would be a pity if we don't make many steps forward because we have everything to improve a lot as a team.

"We need to if we want to be protagonists in Europe. I did not celebrate my saves during the game just because a lot of time was still left and I didn't want to lose focus and energy."

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