Rugani opens up on his time at Juventus, BBC defense, Ronaldo & De Ligt | OneFootball

Daniele Rugani looks back on his long stint at Juventus, discussing the rapport he had with some of his more famous teammates.

The 30-year-old is still tied to the Bianconeri with a contract valid until June 2026, but he’s spending the current campaign on loan at Ajax.

Therefore, the defender could still end up at Continassa next season, but Thiago Motta wasn’t keen on maintaining his services.

The Italian first joined Juventus as a young defender in 2015, and was able to learn from the iconic BBC defense.

Rugani insists he was lucky enough to play alongside these legendary defenders.

“Being a good defender is a question of mentality,” explained the former Empoli man in his interview with Tuttosport.

“I believe that 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.”

“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.”

Rugani also discussed his relationship with his former Juventus teammate Matthijs de Ligt who was the captain of Ajax at a tender age.

“I played with Matthijs 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.

“He scored a great goal against us in the Champions League. 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.”

Rugani was asked to name the best striker he had as a teammate, but instead opted for four, with Cristiano Ronaldo naturally on the list.

“There are many. I will say Dybala, Ronaldo, Higuain and also Mandzukic.”