De Ligt: No longer invincible

By Football Italia staff

Matthijs de Ligt has confessed that he feels “less invincible and confident” since leaving Ajax for Juventus over the summer.

De Ligt was captain of an Ajax side who reached the Champions League semi-finals last season and received regular plaudits, earning him a big-money move to Juve.

However, the defender – who only turned 20 in August – has been thrown straight into the Bianconeri’s XI following an ACL injury to captain Giorgio Chiellini.

“I’m still not at my best, I know that,” he said after Netherlands’ 2-1 win in Belarus yesterday.

“The more I play, the more I’ll get there. What I can do is keep working hard, doing my best and learning from my teammates.

“At Ajax I felt a sense of invincibility. Now I feel less so, but it’s natural. I have a little less confidence than I did last season.

“I’m at a new club, with a new style of play and new teammates. For me, it’s all new. It’s less familiar than at Ajax, but I’m getting better and better.”

Despite that, the centre-back is the proud owner of one statistic.

“I haven’t lost yet with Juventus and the national team this season. I’m happy.”

Watch Serie A live in the UK on Premier Sports for just £9.99 per month including live LaLiga, Eredivisie, Scottish Cup Football and more. Visit: https://www.premiersports.com/subscribenow