07 August 2024
The wait is over. Weeks after his signing, Douglas Luiz has spoken his first public words as a Juventus player, already deep into pre-season and with competitive action nearing.
The Brazilian midfielder, who joined the Bianconeri together with his partner Alisha Lehmann, was presented on Wednesday, 7 August at the Allianz Stadium.
Below is what he had to say.
FIRST IMPRESSIONS
"My first impressions are very positive. Juventus is a huge club and one that a lot of great players have been at, which is something that convinced me to come. It didn’t take much, as playing for a club like this is something that any player would want. I used to play as Juventus on video games all the time as a child, I loved watching [Pavel] Nedved and [Edgar] Davids, so I’m really happy to be here and, years from now, it will be amazing to say that I played for this club.
“I’m sure we’ll have a good season, and at the moment we’re working with the new coach and doing what he is asking of us. I’m positive, I see a lot of passion from the fans, around the stadium too. I’m delighted to be here, this is a big step for my career, and we’ll all fight together with the hope of achieving big things.”
ON THE PITCH
“It feels as though Thiago Motta and I have known each other for a long time. I talk to him about tactics, different aspects of the game, and we already have a very good relationship. I don’t have a preference when it comes to my position, I like being close to the opponents’ goal but if I’m needed deeper then that’s not a problem.”
AN EXAMPLE TO FOLLOW
“Danilo and [Gleison] Bremer helped me a lot during the talks with the club. Every morning I woke up to them saying ‘Forza Juve’ and they told me all about the club. Having teammates with my national team who told me I could come here and make a difference definitely helped me to decide to join.
“Playing for Juventus is not easy, I feel the weight of responsibility on my shoulders. The club also paid a lot for me, and that’s another reason to work hard every day. I want to be an example for the younger players while also knowing that I’m 26 and I still have growing to do.”
WHY THE NO.26?
“I didn’t choose the no.26 shirt because of [Edgar] Davids, as iconic a player as he was. The number comes as a mix of things - it was available, I wore six at Aston Villa and that’s Danilo’s number here, and I have respect for the older players. Twenty-six is a number that represents my past, it’s the age I am now, so a combination of things made it the right choice for me"
TITLES AND OBJECTIVES
“Titles come as a result of the work done during the year. We’re a good group and, as I said, we’re a young group. We have a lot of talent and desire to improve. Then we’ve players who bring experience like Danilo, and if we all do our best then we can achieve success come the end of the year.”
