Juventus: Merih Demiral keeps getting the job done

Juventus center back Merih Demiral continues to impress whenever he’s on the pitch.

When Giorgio Chiellini went down after 19 minutes with an apparent hamstring injury, Juventus needed someone to come in and maintain the stability at the back without the captain. Merih Demiral entered the pitch and did exactly that, producing another fine effort at the center back position for the Old Lady.

Demiral, just 22 years old, is one of the most impressive young center backs in European football. When discussing prospects, he’s often overshadowed by teammate Matthijs de Ligt, but he was just as impressive as the Dutch star in 2019-2020.

The former Sassuolo man delivered another fine performance against Dynamo Kyiv in Juve’s Champions League opener on Tuesday. He never made a mistake on the ball and was unbeaten in defense, shining as a real rock at the back for the Bianconeri defense.

Impressively, according to WhoScored.com, the Turkish international recorded five interceptions, highlighting his star power in defense. Demiral is always there to clean things up without a fuss, and he made three clearances, too.

With the ball at his feet, Demiral completed about 92 percent of his passes, showing off the passing accuracy that was there for Turkey in the UEFA Nations League. And over the weekend, Demiral completed 95.7 percent of is passes in the 1-1 draw with Crotone.

Merih Demiral has outshined the other Juventus center backs

He’s outshined his more experienced teammates. Between Demiral and Leonardo Bonucci, Demiral looks more like the guy who should be starting for Juventus week in and week out. He makes far fewer mistakes, and while he’s less adventurous on the ball, his safety might be more effective for the Bianconeri.

And, of course, he’s unmatched in terms of pure defensive presence with his reading of the game and consistency. Like Bonucci and Chiellini, Demiral embodies the spirit of the club by putting his body on the line. But like de Ligt, he can use his athletic ability to get the better of forwards.

Demiral’s display against Dynamo Kyiv should not go understated. It was yet another example of the 22-year-old playing wiser than his years. In his last two games for Juventus, Demiral has nine interceptions, four tackles, and seven clearances. Those are classy numbers, and they show that Demiral has earned being a regular starter for the Bianconeri.

He is the future. There will be bigger opponents ahead for Juve and their center backs, but, rest assured, Demiral will be ready to meet the challenge.