Paris Saint-Germain midfielder Marco Verratti is the “future of Italian and European football”, according to Andrea Pirlo.
The 24-year-old has once again impressed for the Ligue 1 giants this season. He’s recorded an 88% average pass accuracy, created 28 chances – the third highest of any player in the squad – and has completed 11 through balls so far.
His form as well as playing in the same position as Pirlo has drawn up comparisons between the pair but the former Juventus star has heaped praise on the playmaker and insists there is a big difference between the two.
“Verratti is a great player, he is and will be the future of Italian and European football for the next twenty years,” Pirlo told L’Equipe, as reported by Football Italia.
“He plays more or less in my position, but we are very different in the way we play.
“He dribbles a lot more than me and he keeps the ball, he’s the best Italian player both today and tomorrow, and we’ve had good times together with Italy.
“It’s said that lots of good players cannot play alongside each other, but if everyone is works together, it can happen. And it’s good between us and it works.”
Arguably Verratti’s best performance of the campaign came in PSG’s 4-0 thrashing of Barcelona in last month’s round of 16 Champions League first-leg at the Parc des Princes as he received widespread acclaim for his display.
Verratti and Pirlo were together in the Italy squad at the World Cup in 2014, but with the former having missed Euro 2016 through injury, his attentions will be on ensuring the national side are successful in qualifying for the next major tournament in 2018.
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