Juve have come a long way since their enforced relegation to Serie B two years ago but, following a 3-2 win over AC Milan on Saturday, the Bianconeri seem to be on their way to becoming a force in Italian football once again.

But although the club are nearing a return to Champions League football next season, Ranieri is wary of any premature euphoria.

"We are in the process of bridging a gap," explained the former Chelsea boss.

"We need to continue working and growing, trying each time to search for the win.

"But there is a gap between us and the big clubs and this can be explained by the fact that (coach Roberto) Mancini is in his fourth year at Internazionale, (Carlo) Ancelotti has been at Milan six or seven and (Luciano) Spalletti is in his third year with Roma.

"They have all constructed teams and had the experience of playing in the Champions League whereas we have not yet.

"If we had to play on two or three fronts, we would not know how to deal with it."

European football appears to be on the cards for Juve though, with the team sitting third in the standings with just six matches remaining.

And should the team qualify for either the Champions League of the UEFA Cup next season, the presence of players like Mohamed Sissoko and Hasan Salihamidzic will be vital according to Ranieri.

Sissoko was commanding in the Juve midfield on Saturday, winning every ball while Salihamidzic, with two goals, emphasised his versatility.

"Salihamidzic is a great player - he is like a little soldier who does what you want wherever you put him," explained Ranieri.

"Let's not forget that he actually played centre-forward in the past for Bayern Munich.

"And I knew when I bought Sissoko what I was getting. I had him with me at Valencia when he was 19, sitting on the bench when we won the European Super Cup and then Valencia sold him for a lot of money.

"I could see he did not fit in at Liverpool, where they had three midfielders, and Sissoko has an Italian mentality.

"He did not want to stay there and we wanted to buy him."

Juve's goalkeeper Gianluigi Buffon also heaped praise on Salihamidzic and Sissoko.

"Salihamidzic has given us a lot of joy tonight," said the Italy number one.

"It is not a surprise, though, because he has played many years with a big club like Bayern Munich, he has won the Champions League with them and players like Salihamidzic don't lack experience.

"Sissoko is a midfielder who could fit into any club in the world."

Milan coach Carlo Ancelotti was left to rue the errors which prevented his side from claiming a notable win on Saturday.

He said: "We did really well but lost the ball twice in our area, let them have three counter-attacks and these errors ruined the result for us.

"And at the end of the first half we have got to be more attentive too."

The Rossoneri could fall as low as seventh in Serie A after Sunday's games, making next weekend's clash with bottom-of-the-table Reggina a must-win match if they are to return to the Champions League next season.

Seventh place may only be good enough for the Intertoto Cup, which for a club the size of Milan is unimaginable.

"We cannot afford to think about other things but getting a place in the Champions League," admitted Ancelotti.