GIANLUGI BUFFON has hailed Joe Hart insisting that the English goalkeeper is back to best after finding a "home" at Celtic.
Hart has been a brilliant asset for Ange Postecoglou since the Australian arrived in Glasgow last summer.
The former Manchester City and Spurs keeper quickly came in and solved Celtic's goalkeeper problem with Scott Bain and Vasilis Barkas failing to tie down the No1 jersey.
Buffon has kept a close eye on Hart's progress at Parkhead and he insists it was no surprise that he has returned to form.
Buffon told the Daily Record: “The way Joe is playing this season is no surprise to me he has always been a great goalkeeper. He just needed a place to call home again.
“He is a player I watched develop and I saw he had everything that was needed to be one of the best goalkeepers in the world.
“It was not that long ago that I called him one of the top three or four goalkeepers in the world.
“Along with (Manuel) Neuer, (David) De Gea and (Jan) Oblak, these guys were the next generation who could take over from myself and (Iker) Casillas.
“That player who was No.1 for Manchester City and England didn’t go away. He just needed to find his confidence again.
“I have always said you have to be a little bit crazy to be a goalkeeper because you are so isolated.
“As a defender, you are part of a defence. As a midfielder, part of a midfield. But the goalkeeper is the isolated player on the field.
“You make a mistake and all eyes are on you. That is what happened with Joe.
"He made a couple of mistakes and people just decided he was not top level anymore.
“He needed a bit of love to find his level again and he has obviously got that love at Celtic. The top player is back and it is good to see.”
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