Juventus midfielder Andrea Pirlo believes Antonio Conte is one of the finest managers in the world.
Conte's Juventus have developed into one of Europe's strongest sides and are continuing to improve – something that Pirlo believes to be largely down to the talents of the coach.
"I am extremely lucky – I met Antonio Conte" Pirlo said. "I had so many coaches to compare him to, and he is the one that surprised me the most."
The Italian suggests his coach is a genius, comparing him to two-time European Cup winner Arrigo Sacchi.
"If Arrigo Sacchi was a genius, then what is he?" Pirlo said.
"I was expecting a good coach, but not that good. I thought (he was) a coach with a lot of grit and charisma, instead I discovered that tactically and technically he has a lot to teach many of his colleagues."
Pirlo also describes Conte's demands for perfection, but suggests his rigorous coaching and high standards simply make him an even better coach.
"He makes us play matches with 11 against zero, urging us to repeat the same moves for 45 minutes until we get it right. That's why we win 11 against 11," he said.
Conte's passion is another aspect that makes him an excellent coach, according to Pirlo.
Conte has admitted to throwing water bottles in the changing room even when his team are winning if he is not happy with the performance, but Pirlo said that helped his side.
"He becomes a beast. He's never satisfied. The devil is always in the detail for him. He sees in advance what will happen in the next 45 minutes," he said.
