Not every player emerges onto the scene with a bang. Some take their time to truly blossom and only have the best season of their career at a relatively late age. One such player added another standout performance to his breakout season; it was also one that came in a high-stakes rivalry match.
In the latest edition of the Derby d'Italia which saw Juventus and Inter Milan fighting for not only bragging rights but also a crucial victory which would aid their respective Serie A title chances, Juve emerged victorious by a 2-0 scoreline. Aaron Ramsey and Paulo Dybala scored the goals which gave the Bianconeri the win.
Ramsey had probably his best match since his off-season move to Juve from Arsenal. The Welshman not only scored the first goal but also assisted on Dybala's and was lively and active throughout the match. His performance in midfield served as the catalyst for Juve's victory which took them back to the top of Serie A. The Turin club now lead Lazio by one point.
Many had previously expected Ramsey to have a breakout season in the 2016-17 season on the heels of a series of excellent performances for Wales in their underdog run to the semifinals of Euro 2016. After leading the tournament in assists, Ramsey was named as part of the team of the tournament. However, his play for his country did not continue into the club football season; thus, he did not make the leap which many expected of him. Although he proved to be a solid contributor for Arsenal from that point until his departure in 2019, he never even came close to his level of play during Euro 2016 while playing for the Gunners.
Ramsey's departure for Juve was notable for the fact that it was a free transfer; that said, Juve were also required to pay additional costs totaling €3.7 million. In hindsight, it was a laughably low price for a player of Ramsey's level. Just to rub it in for Arsenal, Ramsey is in the midst of the best season of his career at age 29. He is now playing at his highest level since his Euro 2016 run with Wales.
One important reason why Ramsey has been able to reach the level which he has this season is the team which surrounds him. Ramsey has never had the privilege of playing with this many players on the same team who are either true superstar-level players or close to that status. Certainly, one would find it much easier to play alongside the likes of Matthijs de Ligt, Miralem Pjanić, Blaise Matuidi, Paulo Dybala, and of course, Cristiano Ronaldo than it would be to play with Shkodran Mustafi, Nacho Monreal, Sokratis Papastathopoulos, and Matteo Guendouzi.
Of course, simply playing with better teammates is not the only reason for Ramsey's improvement this season. His tackling and positioning on offense have noticeably improved when compared to last season, and he also seems more comfortable with the ball than he has in a long time. When combined with his already excellent off-ball movement, it can be seen why Ramsey has been such a weapon for Juve this season.
The system in which Ramsey plays at Juve also suits his style of play. Ramsey is perfectly at home within the system created by head coach Maurizio Sarri. Sarri's tactics which prioritize a high press and a quick pace of play have allowed Ramsey to play farther forward than he did at Arsenal, thus allowing him more space to operate within the final third of the pitch where he is able to do the most damage. Ramsey's strngstre are being better utilized by Sarri than they ever had been by former Arsenal head coaches Arsène Wenger and Unai Emery.
Not many players have the best season of their career at the age of 29. However, a confluence of different factors have allowed Ramsey to truly flourish at Juve and have a breakout season at this stage of his career. If Juventus are to make a successful push for the Serie A title, the Champions League title, or perhaps even both, they will need their late-blooming Welshman to continue delivering for them as he has throughout the season thus far.
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