Juventus midfielder Blaise Matuidi has defined Tottenham Hotspur defender Serge Aurier as a 'good', 'very intelligent and thoughtful' person.
Although both players departed Parc des Princes in August 2017 after playing together for three seasons, the France international described his former teammate as a 'little brother' despite his detailed history of trouble.
In February 2016, Aurier was suspended for calling teammate Di Maria ‘a clown’ and manager Laurent Blanc a 'faggot' in a video on social media.
Seven months later, the 24-year-old was sentenced to two months in jail for assaulting a police officer outside a nightclub in Paris which was later reduced to a fine.
But Matuidi said that Aurier's wrongdoings are wrong reflection of the good person that the former Toulouse player is.
“His reputation is false. Yes, he has made mistakes in his life but the errors of his youth do not reflect the man he is,” Matuidi told The Guardian.
“I’ve never seen him as a bad person. On the contrary, he’s a very good person which is why I am happy to call him a little brother, although calling him a little brother is little strange because he’s actually very mature.
“He is very intelligent and thoughtful. When you talk to him you see he understands things quickly. He works hard and leads a settled life.
The 30-year-old also praised the Cote d’Ivoire’s decision to move to the English top-flight following the embarrassments encountered during his time in France.
“He deserves to be congratulated. He got a little pigeon-holed in France, which is a pity. But I think it’s done him good to go to the Premier League and experience new pastures. And he has joined a fine team," he concluded.
