Juventus keeper Gianluigi Buffon has questioned Jose Mourinho's sense of reality after his latest controversy.

The two clubs are embroiled in a spat after Mourinho responded to Claudio Ranieri's criticism of a dubious penalty awarded to Inter by claiming Juve's lofty league position is thanks in part to questionable refereeing decisions this season.

Buffon is stunned Mourinho made such comments.

"The Inter coach didn't make me laugh," he told Italian daily La Stampa. "I have always held him in esteem as a person and as a communicator, but I think there are limits that a football man knows very well and which you mustn't cross.

"The first is not to take football to the level of pub talk, making a mockery of it.

"His comments were strong and vehement accusations. If a director or a club want to complain about something let them do it, but if it is a coach or a player it disturbs me because we are footballing people.

"Another limit you shouldn't cross is a lack of respect. Even if in the case of Mourinho I don't know whether it was a lack of respect against who he attacked or if he lost his sense of reality."

Ranieri hit back at Mourinho yesterday, claiming his outburst was "a personal thing", and Buffon has revealed the rift between the pair is growing still further.

"I don't know what Ranieri thinks," he said. "But from what I understand this story happened from a telephone call which Mourinho did not want to answer.

"Well, I think that it may be such a personal matter that we shouldn't know about it, neither should you boast or strut about.

"I wouldn't have done this with my friends even when I was in fifth grade."

It is make-or-break week for Juve as they travel to city rivals Torino on Saturday before trying to overturn a 1-0 defeat to Chelsea in the Champions League three days later at the Stadio Olimpico.

Juve have gone out of the competition the last two times they have been in it to English competition but Buffon is confident it will be third time lucky for the Bianconeri.

"In the last 75 minutes in London we showed that we know how to face our task and we can overcome a 1-0 deficit if we do not concede," he said.

"Moreover, I didn't see in Chelsea the fitness levels and conviction of other years. Nor what Arsenal and Liverpool had when they knocked us out.

"The best team in Europe remains Barcelona. Manchester United have three or four players who are out of this world but the others aren't considered phenomenons, what makes them strong is the group."