At the start of the campaign, Max Allegri opted for his tried and tested center back partnership of Giorgio Chiellini and Leonardo Bonucci.
After all, the aging duo had just returned from a triumphant Euro 2020 campaign with sky-high confidence.
On the other hand, Matthijs de Ligt endured a tough European tournament with the Netherlands marred by a costly dismissal against the Czech Republic.
However, the Dutchman was always going to find his way into the starting lineup, especially with the Italian pair struggling to reman fit.
Thankfully, the 22-year-old proved to be more than capable of replacing his veteran teammates. In fact, he has arguably cemented himself as the best defender in the whole league.
According to Opta Paolo’s Twitter account, only two players managed to dribble past de Ligt this season, which is less than any other defender with 15+ appearances in Serie A.
https://twitter.com/OptaPaolo/status/1501148231773962241
Juve FC say
The former Ajax captain has been growing from strength to strength since the start of the season.
Perhaps Allegri played a vital role in his growth, with the Italian tactician allowing the center back more freedom on the pitch with less zonal marking. This season, the Dutchman has been given the license to chase his opponents all over the pitch.
But aside from that, de Ligt might simply be maturing after two years in Italian football, and is now ready to stake his claim as one of the finest center backs in the world.
