Matthijs Of Ligt was the central defence that enamoraba to the directive of the FC Barcelona. The Dutch, with hardly 19 years, dazzled in the Ajax showing the ideal qualities for a central of the Barcelona team, resembled the ones of Gerard Hammered, by what considered him his ideal successor. Nevertheless, the young player decided by the Juventus, that paid 85 millions by him.
His representative, Mino Raiola, explained the circumstances of the decision of the player and loaded against the Barça. "In Holland almost think that the Barça is a Dutch club and no one foreign, by what saw like a species of sacrilege that Matthijs did not go there. The Catalans thought, if Of Jong comes, he also... In summary, treated it as to a cheese", said, in Voetbal International.
But his career in the Juventus of Turín is not having some first simple months. From the beginning, it turned into the acting of the pair title of the saga bianconera, formed by the indisputable Bonucci and Chiellini. However, an injury of long length of this second allowed to Of Ligt win a place and begin to accumulate minutes of game.
The problem was that his adaptation to the Italian football is not being precisely easy for him and, during several parties, accumulated numerous individual errors that did that it won the criticisms of the Italian press. It weighed him his little time in the elite, maybe the conditions of the Italian football, or perhaps went the 85 millions that paid by him and that turned him into the most expensive defence, with his consistent pressure added.
The case is that the Dutch hit rock bottom with a grave error against the Lazio that did that to Maurizio Sarri, trainer of the Vecchia Signora, exhausted him the patience and commanded him to the bench, betting by the Turkish central youngster Merih Demiral, only a greater year that Of Ligt. Since, the ex 'ajacied' is not headline, and of this already does a month. It has happened of 'galactic' to be the acting of the acting, a hard hit for him.
Sarri Defends him
In spite of the situation of Of Ligt, Sarri did not doubt in defending him in room of press. "I am the first in being absolutely convinced that will turn into one of the strongest defenders of the world", said the technician of the Juventus, adding that "it did a trip complicated because it had to learn a new culture, a new form to play, a new language in the field each three days. So if it has gone down a bit the performance seems me normal".