Matthijs de Ligt has enjoyed a meteoric rise to prominence at Ajax, but the defender admits he is going through some difficult times in Italian football.
What did Matthijs de Ligt say?
The Dutch player admits his 2019 move to the Bianconeri was a step back, but the youngster feels poised to take the lead again after completing a €77m transfer to Bayern Munich. Matthijs de Ligt has been a senior star since 2016 and has over 250 club appearances to his name despite his tender years.
At the age of 19, Matthijs de Ligt became the captain of the Eredivisie giants Ajax, and also received the prestigious Golden Boy award, but when he left his homeland for Turin, the player found himself next to such experienced stars as Bonucci and Chiellini.
After arriving in Italy, the Dutch international was no longer seen as a field leader and when asked if this represented a step back, Matthijs de Ligt said yes, they could say so. According to de Ligt, he was a captain at Ajax and felt he should lead that team. Of course, if they then go to a team that has such legends in defense and in goal, it can be a bit difficult for a 19-year-old guy to first express himself in the way they really could.
Matthijs de Ligt says that in a way, he was less of himself, but he learned a lot and tried to absorb things every day to become a better player and leader.
A little about the topic
The player with 38 international roofs is excited to start a new chapter in his career with the reigning Bundesliga champions. Matthijs de Ligt believes Bayern’s brand of football will suit his game better than the one he had to adapt to at the Bianconeri, with the man who signed him for Juventus – former Blues boss Maurizio Sarri – moving within a year of joining Serie A .
The Dutch defender added that this is a very different style of defense. In Ajax they push very high, you risk it, in the Bianconeri it’s more about what’s behind. In Italy, the pace of the league is also a bit slower, according to Matthijs de Ligt. They have won four World Cups with this style of play, so Matthijs fully understands that they believe this is the right way to do it.
The Dutch international came to the Bianconeri with the idea of playing more attacking football because Maurizio was the coach and he had a really good name in the world of football playing amazing football with Napoli and Chelsea. De Ligt expected more of the Ajax style but unfortunately the player was fired after a year.