“Please let Matthijs de Ligt stay with Juventus for the rest of his life, he is so good”


Tuesday, February 22, 2022 at 10:25 PM• Tom Rofekamp • Last update: 22:37

Youri Mulder is positive but critical of Matthijs de Ligt. The analyst sees the 22-year-old defender emerging as a leader in the defense of Juventus, but also notes a visible improvement in his game. Mulder draws a parallel with fellow international Virgil van Dijk, who, according to him, is usually less tempted to leave the center. Alessandro Del Piero, club legend of Juventus, on the other hand, is nothing but praise for De Ligt.

“He played a good game against Torino (against which Juventus drew 1-1 last weekend, ed.), Mulder starts in the preview of the Champions League match between Villarreal and Juventus. “But we must also be critical as analysts. pointing out things that could be done even better.” Mulder quotes a moment from the opening phase against Torino, in which De Ligt moves away from the center. “That is not allowed as a central defender.”

Mulder cites a few more examples from which he draws a pattern. “Then De Ligt will help and he will be gone from the center. You see that happening less quickly with Van Dijk.” Mulder does conclude his story about De Ligt with praise. “What I do think is that he is slowly passing Leonardo Bonucci and Giorgio Chiellini. He is slowly becoming the leader in the center of the defence.”

Alessandro Del Piero is also full of praise for De Ligt’s development. The club legend would like to see the Dutchman stay, Simon Zijlemans revealed. The reporter of RTL spoke to Del Piero in the run-up to the Villarreal duel. “He said: ‘I speak as a Juventus fan, so maybe I’m looking through colored glasses, but please let this boy stay with this club for the rest of his life. He’s a new Chiellini, kind of a successor. How good is he ‘.”