Pep Guardiola said AC Milan striker Zlatan Ibrahimovic is a major threat to Barcelona's hopes of retaining their Champions League crown.
Guardiola may have endured a fractious relationship with the Swede during his time at the Camp Nou but that has not changed his views on the talented marksman.
Ibrahimovic joined Barca from Inter as part of a transfer totalling an estimated 69.6 million euros but he lasted one season before returning to Italy, initially on loan before completing a permanent switch to San Siro last summer.
The 30-year-old disclosed the full extent of the breakdown of his working relationship with Guardiola in his autobiography last year.
But the Barca coach remains reluctant to be drawn on his falling out with Ibrahimovic and instead praised the ability of an in-form forward who the La Liga champions must try to nullify in next week's Champions League first-leg clash.
"Ibrahimovic is a player that plays at very, very high level," Guardiola said.
"He's a leader at AC Milan."
Meanwhile, Guardiola had words of encouragement for winger Pedro, who, after a rapid rise to the top of the game after being formally promoted to the Barca senior side from the B team in 2009, has seen little game time this season.
"It's thanks to the effort that Pedro puts in that the rest of the players can play like they do," the 41-year-old argued.
"Pedro runs for three others; that's his great virtue. He knows exactly what he has to do. He's level-headed in that way. I just want him to keep doing what he's always done."
"If he's struggling more than usual, it's because he's had a few injury setbacks which have affected his consistency."
"If you have an explosive debut season and continue that way for two seasons, it's quite normal that a time will come when you reach that kind of plateau and stability."
Barcelona are in La Liga action against Granada on Tuesday.