Ilicic, now with Maribor, has shone for Slovenia in Germany these past weeks.
Ruznic told Radio Serie A: "It's the first time I've spoken publicly about Ilicic. Beyond the class and flair that you know better than me, I can tell you that he's an exceptional person, and I, who have been close to him for more than 15 years, can guarantee you this: his strength, compared to all the bull**** that has been said around, is his family, his wife and his two little girls.
"Many have been close to him to deal with this difficult situation, including Atalanta, with Giampiero Gasperini, Luca Percassi and all the fans: the warmth of the people and those who love him has helped him, then there have also been many bad articles and many people who spoke for the sake of speaking, but the key has been his family.
"Now he's back, I won't say at the level of Atalanta, but just seeing him play for the national team, scoring in a friendly against Armenia and making it against England has personally given me great pride and satisfaction. We're seeing Ilicic the man, who has understood that he can't think of playing as a starter and has humbly made himself available, helping the lads who are 15 years younger than him and who look at him with respect for the class he has.
"He has another year of contract with Maribor, who also offered us a renewal: he certainly doesn't want to stop, because he feels really good both in his legs and in his head. At 36 years old he is seriously thinking about the renewal, and this shows that he doesn't want to stop."