De Ligt Feels Less Invincible at Juve

Matthijs de Ligt has admitted that the sense of invincibility that he enjoyed at Ajax has disappeared since he moved to Juventus in the summer.

The 20-year-old centre-back became a target for the game’s biggest clubs last season with a series of sparkling performances for the Amsterdam side, who reached the Champions League semi-finals and came within seconds of reaching the showpiece before late heartbreak against Tottenham.

Nevertheless, De Ligt was the subject of a bidding war, with Barcelona and Paris Saint-Germain among the teams ultimately beaten off for him by Juventus, who paid €85 million (£74m/$94m) including bonuses to prise him from his homeland.

Since moving to Italy, however, the young defender has struggled to show the same form that he displayed at his hometown side.

“At Ajax, I felt invincible, today it’s different,” he told Fox Sports. “But I think it’s normal because everything is new for me. I’m progressing and I’m not worried.

“I don’t know myself why I’m not playing as well as I’d like. All I can do is continue to work, to do my best and to try to learn from my team-mates.

“I play and that’s the main thing because, in the end, I’m sure that everything will go well and this season will be positive.