Buffon offers praise for Alisson and Totti

Speaking to an Italian football TV show on Monday, the veteran shot-stopper was asked about Alisson – and responded that the Brazil international’s rise to prominence is little surprise to him.

“Alisson is a surprise only for those who haven’t seen him before,” Buffon noted. “What really strikes me is how he deals with dangerous situations so efficiently.

“That gives his team a lot of confidence.”

The 40-year-old was also asked about one his oldest friends in the game, Roma legend Francesco Totti.

“I’ve know Totti since we were in Italy’s Under-15 side together,” he said. “We have spent 25 years in football alongside each other and there’s nothing new I can say about him.

“I can only say again that he, alongside [Alessandro] Del Piero, [Roberto] Baggio, [Antonio] Cassano and [Andrea] Pirlo, has been one of the greatest attacking talents the Italian game has produced.”