Thursday, 26th September, 2013
Juventus coach Antonio Conte has admitted players like Andrea Pirlo are "hard to find" in a clear indication that the Bianconeri will look to keep the 34-year-old beyond the end of this season.
Conte's men secured Pirlo from AC Milan in 2011, ending the midfielder's ten-year stint with the Rossoneri and watching him instantly propel them to the Serie A title.
Juventus did it again last season, while Pirlo then capped off his campaign with a number of superb performances at this summer's Confederations Cup in Brazil for Italy.
Recently there has been speculation about where Pirlo's future will lie as his contract expires at the end of this season.
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But Conte has showered the 34-year-old with praise.
"Players like Andrea are hard to find, because they have such extraordinary ball technique", Conte told UEFA.
"He brings calm to the team in possession and anticipates play.
"Adding those talents to an organised system where everybody knows what they have to do, his qualities come out even better.
"Andrea doesn't run any less than before. I have studied the statistics and he is in the top ten players who have run the most in the Champions League.
"Physical strength is not his talent, it's his brain and his feet. He makes the collective stand out."
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