ROME (AFP) - Juventus goalkeeper Gianluigi Buffon has described his team's performance in the 5-1 dismantling of Sampdoria as a nuclear explosion.

Juve moved up to second in Serie A following Wednesday's emphatic victory against a team who started the day ahead of them in the standings.

It was a performance that has got Buffon excited about his team's potential.

"Scintillating? No, I'd call it a nuclear explosion," he said when asked how to describe the game in an interview with Sky Italia.

"That's the quality we have and we knew it. We wanted to win and to do so convincingly.

"We've always performed against the big teams, but unfortunately it's the other matches that make the difference.

"We need to try to stop dropping points in those to give ourselves a chance of reaching our goals."

Juve have been inconsistent this season winning away to AS Roma and Lazio as well as earning credible draws away to Genoa and Bayern Munich.

But they have dropped points against the likes of Bologna and Palermo while Bordeaux held them to a Champions League draw in Turin.

However, Wednesday's victory leaves them only a point behind champions and leaders Inter, who have a game in hand.