Fernando Llorente has hailed Juventus team-mate Andrea Pirlo as one of the greatest playmakers in history following the veteran midfielder's heroics in Sunday's derby win over Torino.
The Bianconeri looked set to drop points at home for the first time in 25 Serie A matches when Stephan Lichtsteiner was dismissed with the game tied at one goal apiece.
However, with just eight seconds of injury time remaining, Pirlo found the bottom corner with a stunning strike from distance to send Juve's players and fans alike into ecstasy.
"This kind of win gives you such a boost and I enjoyed a lovely Monday," Llorente told Mediaset. "The derby was a difficult match in which we luckily managed to claim all three points.
"We played well and even with 10 men we went for the win because, at Juventus, we always believe in ourselves.
"It's one of the secrets of our success. Compliments also to Torino, who gave us more problems than any other team until now.
"Honestly, I was thinking that it would be an impossible game to win but instead Pirlo produced a miracle.
"He's an introverted guy but also a marvellous one for those who know him well.
"In his role he is one of the greatest in history."
It was a crucial victory for Juventus, as it enabled the Serie A leaders to maintain their three-point advantage over Roma, who defeated Inter 4-2 in a thrilling encounter on Sunday night.
Llorente was hugely impressed by the Giallorossi's performance at the Stadio Olimpico and he does not believe that there is any chance of the Bianconeri, who racked up a record-breaking 102 points last season, running away with the title race this term.
"The Roma I saw against Inter were very strong," the Spaniard said of last season's runners-up.
"[Francesco] Totti, Gervinho, [Miralem] Pjanic and [Radja] Nainggolan are making the difference for them at the moment and winning the Scudetto will be more difficult [for Juve] than in the past.
"But I am convinced that we can win it again."
Indeed, Llorente has been buoyed by the way in which Massimiliano Allegri has risen to the challenge of filling the void left by former coach Antonio Conte, who stepped down during the summer after leading Juve to three successive Scudetti.
"They are very different characters, but they are both great coaches and they are showing that," the former Athletic Bilbao attacker said of the pair.
"For Allegri, it was not easy to arrive after Conte but he settled immediately and he has the squad playing at the same level as before."
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