Douglas Luiz: Why I Left Aston Villa And The Premier League

Douglas Luiz was introduced by Juventus at a press conference today, where he shared initial thoughts about the club, his transfer from Aston Villa, his reasons for leaving the Premier League for Serie A, and his aspirations for the future.

The 26-year-old Brazilian midfielder signed with Bianconeri last month from the Villans for €25m in cash plus Enzo Barrenechea and Samuel Iling-Junior, adding an important player to Thiago Motta’s squad.

Douglas Luiz showcased his talent during a successful five-year stint at Aston Villa, scoring 22 goals and registering 24 assists in 204 appearances.

His addition brings both physicality and experience to the Juventus midfield, which is undergoing significant changes this summer.

Douglas Luiz press conference

Juventus presenting Douglas Luiz to the media 

Speaking in a press conference via TMW, Douglas Luiz discussed his first impressions of Juventus.

“Good morning, I had a great impression. Many great players have passed through Juventus, and this motivates me a lot and convinces me to come here.

“I’m sure that we will have a great season. We have new players and a new coach, and we are getting used to Thiago Motta’s work and what he asks of us.

“What impressed me most is the greatness of this club, the stadium, the passion of the fans for the club. I’m very happy to be here. It will be an important season, and we will fight together for great results.”

Why leave Aston Villa and the Premier League?

Douglas Luiz stated, “I’m sure any player in the world would have wanted to experience playing for Juventus, and I am no different.

“It [leaving Premier League] doesn’t depend so much on the league but rather on the greatness of the club. It’s a nice thing to be able to tell my family, once I’ve retired, that I played for Juve.”

He spoke about the influence of Danilo and Gleison Bremer in his decision to join from Aston Villa.

“Yes, they certainly helped me a lot in this negotiation. Every day I woke up Danilo would say to me ‘Come to Juve’. He talked to me about the club and motivated me to come here.

“I knew how important this club is. But the fact that there was someone I knew was an extra motivation. Especially if they tell you that you can come here and make a difference.”

Douglas Luiz commented on what he’s been asked to do by Thiago Motta.

“It seems that Thiago and I have known each other for a long time. He is a young coach and gives you the freedom to communicate freely and talk about tactics, and our relationship is very good.

“As I told him, I don’t have a preference on my position, I like to play near the goal. But I told him that if the coach or Juve needs me as a more defensive number 6, I have no problem covering the role. But the freedom that he gives me on the pitch, I think, can make a difference.”

Douglas Luiz was asked how he was convinced to join.

“It didn’t take much to convince me because the greatness of this club speaks for itself. Any player would have wanted to have this opportunity and I’m no different in this sense. As soon as I heard about Juventus, I expressed my interest to my agents.

“And we worked to make sure everything went well. I think it’s a very important step in my career and I hope it’s also important for the club. I didn’t come here just to play but I want to continue to improve and help Juve achieve their goals.”

Douglas Luiz touched on the pressures of playing for Juventus.

“Playing for Juventus certainly won’t be easy and I feel the responsibility. The value of my purchase is very high, and I feel the responsibility of that.

“I’ll continue to work to improve. I want to be an example for young players, even if I’m 26 and still young. I came here to learn but also to teach, so I feel the responsibility.”

Luiz on his goals

Douglas Luiz will wear number 26 for Juventus this season

Finally, Douglas Luiz discussed his goals in Turin.

“I come from a league that is considered the most difficult to play in, I’m happy with this experience because it has left me with a lot. In Serie A I want to give more. I know what kind of player I am, I’ve prepared myself and I feel ready.

“Objectives are the consequence of work. Sometimes it’s better to make an assist than a goal. In the role I play you have to be intelligent.”

Douglas Luiz arrived at Aston Villa in 2019 from Manchester City and went on to establish himself as one of the club’s best players, shining again last season under Unai Emery.

He now has the opportunity to establish himself in Serie A and contribute to Juventus’s title challenge.

However, playing for a club like Juventus comes with extra scrutiny, and the Italian media will be eager to offer both praise and criticism based on his performances.