Matthijs De Ligt reveals it took him a while to adapt to Juventus and that “there are many people who look at you and expect a lot.”
The youngster moved to Turin last summer and despite making some early mistakes, he has adapted to Juve’s game plan under Maurizio Sarri.
“It took a while to get used to it,” De Ligt told Ziggo Sports, “there are many people who look at you and expect a lot from you, and these are new things compared to Ajax.
“I think I have reached a good level in every game since the beginning of November. I am happy that it works like this and that the club trust in me”
The 20-year-old has been playing and training alongside two of Italy’s most experienced defenders in the shape of Leonardo Bonucci and Giorgio Chiellini.
“Bonucci and Chiellini are not just footballers, hey are players who have won everything for nine years and know what it is. I was told: ‘you are a great player, but above all learn from those guys. We need you this season’ It is important that I am there.
“At one point I sat on the bench for a while, I also talked to the coach. Then I had that shoulder injury, it also bothered my groin, so I couldn’t really train. The coach said clearly: “Calm down, we need you later in the season. We need your best form, so stay calm.
“Differences between Ajax and Juve? At Juve you have to have balance, be more careful about the defensive phase and that’s what I’m doing now.
“The Champions League is a very different competition from Serie A. In the Champions it’s more technical and physical. Against Lyon I can cover seventy meters and go and take the ball. This is perhaps more my style. “
