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The former Juventus defender rewound the tape of his time in Turin, recalling the most significant moments of his career
"Being a good defender is a question of mentality. For me, a defender must be ready for danger and fear conceding a goal. I was lucky enough to play with one of the best defenses in the world in recent years, namely the BBC: Barzagli , Bonucci , Chiellini . Obviously with Buffon behind them ." This is how Daniele Rugani remembers his time in Turin. The defender joined Ajax on loan after three years in black and white, preceded in turn by experiences at Cagliari and Rennes and the first cycle at Juve that lasted five years. The player born in '94 spoke about himself on the official channels of the Dutch club.
Rugani: "De Ligt? Here's what he told me"
"When I first arrived at Juve I was twenty years old, and stepping onto the pitch alongside them was wonderful. As well as in training, when I had the opportunity to learn from the best ," he said. " De Ligt ? I played with him for about three years. He's a friend of mine, we had a good relationship at Juve. He's fast, strong and a great tackler. He's also very smart." Rugani also recalled the double Champions League tie against Ajax, including De Ligt's headed goal at the Stadium in the match that the Lancers won. "It was a great goal. In the first leg in Amsterdam we encountered a fantastic atmosphere even though it was very cold. I remember having a problem with my groin but I couldn't back out because Chiellini wasn't available. It was also a great opportunity for me. We spoke recently and he said he was happy for me, wishing me a good season. The best strikers I've played with? There are many, Dybala , Ronaldo , Higuain and also Mandzukic . " With the Juventus shirt, Rugani has accumulated 148 total appearances, with a total of 11 goals and 1 assist.
Rugani and his predecessors at Ajax
" Chivu won the Champions League with Inter, he had a great foot and was very good at free kicks. For example, I prefer to score with my head. I only scored free kicks when I was young and because the goalkeeper wasn't very tall. I also remember Rijkaard , when I was a child I had DVDs with the best players in the world and he obviously couldn't be missing. He was strong and fast. Then there's Blind , a legend of this club with a great personality. Lisandro Martinez ? I obviously remember his grit, he had fire inside him. He was a joy for the fans. Vertonghen was another very good at free kicks. A very interesting defender, like de Boer . Not very fast but with great quality and great aim. It was like having a midfielder in defence. Timber is perhaps the least defensive, he likes to launch himself into attack. He is capable of making great assists" , concluded Rugani.