Sergiño Dest is looking forward to Wednesday night’s Champions League match between Juventus and Barcelona. The right back can come face to face in Turin with his fellow countryman and fellow international Weston McKennie from the United States. “It’s nice to play against him. We are good friends with the national team, so we are both looking forward to it,” Dest said in an interview with ESPN.

“I haven’t talked to him about the game yet, but when I signed with Barcelona, ​​he said to me, ‘See you in the Champions League,'” smiles Dest, who had a starting spot in the last three official games of Barcelona. After appearing from the left flank in the match against Getafe (1-0 defeat) and the Champions League match with Ferencváros (5-1 win), he started on Saturday in the encounter with Real Madrid for the first time from the right flank. Although Barcelona lost 1-3, Dest is happy with the experience of playing el Clásico.

“This is why I came here”, agrees the wing defender who came over from Ajax. “You want to play every game and you want to play against the best clubs, to find out how far you are as a football player. There is still plenty of room for improvement, but I am on the right track. I love playing these games. . ” Dest was preferred to Sergi Roberto against Real Madrid. The summer acquisition feels the confidence of Ronald Koeman and is happy with the cooperation with the trainer.

“Koeman has given me the confidence and now it is up to me”, he realizes. “I have to play good games and develop myself. He gave me the chance, but it’s up to me to tackle it. I’m just trying to play my game.” Dest has improved in an important aspect of his game. “I am a defender, so I try to focus mainly on defending. If possible, I will go forward. At Ajax I may have gone forward a little too much and forgot to defend. Now that doesn’t happen anymore. I choose my moments to move forward, ”he explains.

Dest indicates that he feels more and more confidence with his new club. He expects to play even better football in the coming weeks. “I think that within a few weeks I will be completely myself and can give everything. Of course I already do that, but then I will feel even more at home”, said the nineteen-year-old defender, who speaks of a ‘great’ first month at the Camp Nou. “My dream has come true: I play for Barcelona. Sometimes I look at my teammates on the field and I think: wow, a few years ago I watched you on TV and now I play with the best player in the world”, he points out. on Lionel Messi. “That’s fantastic. I know we lost el Clásico, but for me it is only just starting.”