The Dutch defender, secured in a £67.8million switch from Ajax this summer, was forced to watch on as Maurizio Sarri's men edged to a 1-0 victory.
Leonardo Bonucci and Giorgio Chiellini were the new boss' preferred defensive partnership, and it was the latter who touched in from close range to net the only goal of the game in the first half.
In the wake of the narrow win, De Ligt also explained that he hadn't received any indications that he wouldn't make his first Italian top flight start.
He told Dutch publication AD: 'Naturally, I would've preferred to play and I didn't get any clues from training, so I didn't expect to be on the bench.
'Obviously, I respect the decision of the Coach. I must be realistic, as I am still settling in here in Italy.
'The defenders who played, Leonardo Bonucci and Giorgio Chiellini, were considered for a long time to be the best centre-back partnership in the world.'
But the 20-year-old stalwart, who captained Ajax to the Champions League semi-finals last season, admitted he has always been prepared to battle for a starting spot.
He added: 'I have to earn my place throughout the season. The first five weeks have been tough on a physical level, but I do notice that I'm getting stronger.
'Defensively, the demands are not that different to what I was accustomed to at Ajax, as the Coach wants us to anticipate the movement.'
MailOnline
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