Douglas Costa opens up about playing alongside Cristiano Ronaldo

According to Tuttosport, Brazilian midfielder Douglas Costa has spoken warmly about his time playing alongside Cristiano Ronaldo at Juventus and the Portuguese star's role in the team. Having spent several successful seasons with the Turin club, the footballer shared interesting insights into the five-time Ballon d'Or winner's professional level on the pitch and his cheerful nature in the dressing room. According to him, playing in the same team as the top scorer in world football history was truly a stroke of luck, reports Goal.com .

Speaking about his arrival at the Turin club and Ronaldo's impact on the squad, Douglas Costa specifically emphasized how much Cristiano simplified matches. "For about 15 years, he has always been a guarantee for the goals he scores," described the Brazilian winger of his former teammate. Costa noted that sharing the pitch with Ronaldo was a great blessing, as the Portuguese footballer is a professional who knows how to joke at the right time, yet turns into a true machine during matches.

Details of the move to Turin and Allegri's lessons

33-year-old Douglas Costa, who moved to Italy from Bayern Munich in 2017, also shared memories of how the transfer came about. He recalled that negotiations progressed quickly, as he realized he would have fewer opportunities at the time under head coach Carlo Ancelotti. Juventus management Agnelli and Paratici worked actively on his transfer. Additionally, Alex Sandro played an important role in inviting him to the Turin club, as Inter was also showing interest in the player.

The process of adapting to Italian football did not happen immediately for Douglas Costa. Under Massimiliano Allegri, he initially started on the bench, but once he began to understand the Italian coach's demands, he secured a place in the starting lineup. "Allegri always explained to me that I needed to stay alert and not relax for a single second," Costa says. He acknowledged that the coach's approach was extremely valuable in changing the player's worldview and mentality.