Serie A Juventus forward believes Italy features tougher defences

Juventus striker Paulo Dybala believes that Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo would not score as many goals if they were not playing in La Liga.

Dybala has found the back of the net 16 times this season as Juventus won the Serie A title for the fifth straight year.

"I will say that in Italy there is much better defending and it's a tactical type of football," said Dybala to Tuttosport.

"The little clubs do not play in a wild and careless way as they do in Spain, although Atletico Madrid are changing this mentality."

Gonzalo Higuain is the leading scorer in the Italian league with 30 goals, something Dybala believes would be much closer to what Messi and Ronaldo would achieve in that league.

"Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo would not have scored 80-90 goals in Italy, perhaps 30 like Higuain, but not 80."

Dybala has been rumored to be on the shortlist for other big European clubs like Barcelona and also Real Madrid, but he wants to achieve big things with Juventus like Buffon and Del Piero did before him.

"Yes, I can picture that. Their story fascinates me: 20 years with the same shirt makes you a legend," he added.

"I don't know if I'll become like Messi, but my objective is to win the Ballon d'Or."