Bayern Munich’s Matthijs de Ligt shares his feelings on the back three formation

In an interview with Julian Buhl, as captured by @iMiaSanMia, Bayern Munich player Matthjis De Ligt spoke about the back three formation implemented by coach Julian Nagelsmann during his time in Munich. The system has been very divisive among fans, as the back four is usually Bayern’s go to system. And the system the team is most familiar with tends to be the most successful one, right?

De Ligt, though, doesn’t really have a favorite between the two. “Generally speaking, I can’t say [I prefer one over the other]. We have our coach who will decide it. I’m a player and I try to implement the things that the coach wants and decides.”

De Ligt has far more experience with the back four, during his time at previous clubs AFC Ajax and Juventus, while the Dutchman was dropped out of the national team’s back three during the World Cup. Yet, when asked if he is comfortable in a back three, De Ligt is confident in saying yes. “Yes, of course. Why not? I’m actually used to playing in a back four. But in the previous three games and [against VFL Bochum] we started with a back three and it worked well. We won three times. So I think that proves the coach right.”

De Ligt has been a star name in football for so long that is easy to forget he is just 23-years-old, so he has a lot of room to improve and grow as a player. When the coach challenges him to play in a back three, De Ligt can grow into the system. It is just another step on his way to truly fulfilling his potential and becoming a world class player.