Gianluigi Buffon considers Paris Saint-Germain team-mate Marco Verratti to be the “only real talent of Italian football”.
The Azzurri have endured a humbling fall from grace in recent years, with their struggles reaching a head when they failed to qualify for World Cup 2018.
A rebuilding process is now underway, with Roberto Mancini having picked up the managerial baton.
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He is looking to find the right blend of youth and experience, with midfield dynamo Verratti emerging as a key man as he blurs the lines between those two groups.
Legendary World Cup-winning goalkeeper Buffon told Gazzetta dello Sport of his 25-year-old club colleague and fellow countryman: “Marco is an incredible player, at this moment he’s the only real talent of Italian football in terms of how he plays the game, the quality of his touch and the way he sees the game.