AC Milan midfielder Gennaro Gattuso has labelled Juventus playmaker Andrea Pirlo is a rare football talent.
Pirlo parted company with Milan at the end of last season to join Juve on a free transfer and has since gone on to play a key role in the Turin outfit's resurgence under Antonio Conte.
Milan veteran Gattuso said he is not in the least bit surprised by his former team-mate's performances for Juve, hinting the deep-lying midfielder should not have been allowed to leave San Siro.
"Pirlo has been and is a great player," Gattuso told Il Corriere dello Sport.
"He is still showing it. There are not many champions of his calibre."
Gattuso's captain, Massimo Ambrosini, also said Pirlo is still missed at Milanello.
"Pirlo carried a certain weight in the dressing room in terms of decision-making and spirit," Ambrosini said.
"He's a champion who will remain forever in our hearts."
While Gattuso is still recovering from an eye problem, Ambrosini is expected to line up against Pirlo on Saturday, when Milan host Juve at San Siro in a crucial top-of-the-table Serie A clash.