Juventus goalkeeper Gianluigi Buffon showered praises on Real Madrid striker Cristiano Ronaldo after their Uefa Champions League first leg game on Tuesday.
He likened Ronaldo to Brazilian and Argentine greats Pele and Maradona.
The veteran goalkeeper was beaten twice by Ronaldo, one of the goals being a sublime bicycle kick that left Buffon rooted to the spot.
The goal’s beauty was appreciated by all, earning him a standing ovation at the Allianz Stadium, Italy.
Speaking with Mediaset after the match, the Buffon applauded Ronaldo for his brilliance.
He said, “Once again today, we’ve all seen what Ronaldo is, he always has been an incredible footballer who, together with Messi, are inspiring their sides to the greatest successes.
“This means that Ronaldo’s value has to be compared with the likes of Maradona and Pele
“He’s one of those players who can have such a huge influence over the number of games and titles their sides win.
“We’re really disappointed because probably we’re not going to make it through now, and this is a huge regret, but it’s also true that when you face opponents like these, you’ve just got to be able to acknowledge that they simply are too good.
“When you’re playing against incredible players, it’s not like you’re making mistakes, when they score so many, you may just be a little bit less precise at times but when you face the best, these things can happen.
“We’re talking about players who can score 500 goals in 10, 12 years of their career.”
