Former AC Milan and Italy coach Arrigo Sacchi has branded Barcelona forward Lionel Messi "a true footballing genius" after his performance against Bayern Munich on Wednesday night.
Sacchi said he was almost left lost for words by Messi's display during Barca's 3-0 Champions League semifinal first-leg victory at the Camp Nou, in which he found the back of the net twice.
And the 69-year-old, who won two European Cups during his time at Milan, feels only Diego Maradona in his heyday could match Messi in the form he is currently in.
"Messi's rediscovered his extraordinary form after a difficult period," Sacchi said on Mediaset TV. "He's a unique player who has it all. He's a lethal finisher, but he's also capable of tracking back into midfield to help his side.
"He's impossible to mark. You need your whole team to be working to perfection to have any chance of trapping him. What we're witnessing is a true footballing genius. He's like Maradona. There's nobody around like him at the moment."
Messi's brace has helped to put Bayern on the brink of elimination from the Champions League in the semifinals for a second year running.
And his two strikes made him the competition's all-time top goal scorer once again on 77, moving him ahead of Real Madrid's Cristiano Ronaldo.
"Messi's incredible -- we've run out of adjectives to describe him," Barca midfielder Ivan Rakitic told Sky Sport Italia. "He's the best player in the history of football and we're delighted he's on our side. We just hope he can continue playing this way all the time because we need him."