Leaving was not the plan, Juventus was my life! Bonucci speaks about his commitment to Berlin and his nomination for the Euros

Leonardo Bonucci transferred from Juventus to Union Berlin at the end of the summer transfer window. Now the 36-year-old Italian stopper admits that leaving Turin was definitely not in his plans. What did the Viterbo native reveal in an interview with Kicker?

Bonucci left Juventus Turin for the second time in his career on 1 September this year. However, the thirty-six-year-old Italian stopper was practically no longer part of the team after the end of last season, when Massimiliano Allegri told him that he no longer counted on him.

The Viterbo native has therefore had to look for a new engagement, and in recent weeks he has decided to take legal action against his former employer.

We have covered this topic in more detail in a previous article. In short, Bonucci has seen his football career end in a Juventus jersey. However, this is unlikely to happen in the end.

It should be noted, Bonucci had other options besides Union Berlin. Italy, including Lazio and Sampdoria Genoa, have also shown interest in his services.

However, the Italian international has decided to leave for Germany, and in an interview with Kicker he explains his reasons for doing so.

Leaving Italy was not the plan, Juventus was my life

“To be completely honest, leaving Italy was not in my plans. Juventus was my life. I thought I would finish my career there, but now I don’t want to talk about it,” Bonucci told Kicker in that interview.

“I wanted to get out of my comfort zone, to experience a new culture, a new language and a new lifestyle. I wanted to gain this experience and now I am focusing on it,” he elaborated.

Bonucci also spoke about the difference in the concept of the game. While Serie A is often more of a strategic chess game, the Bundesliga is much more offensive and teams push forward more.

“I admit that it is very difficult to learn the language, while the lifestyle and even the football is completely different. In the Bundesliga, teams push forward more, so we have to cover the space behind the defensive line. When I arrived, I told the coach that I needed 3-4 weeks to get in shape and we’re almost there,” explains the stopper, who has also played for AC Milan in his career.

Finally, he adds that he has spoken to national team coach Luciano Spalletti. And he told him that if he wants to wear the national jersey, he will have to play a lot of games. “I know it will be difficult, but my main goal is to be called up for the Euros,” Bonucci concluded.

Source: Bundesliga, Kicker, Transfermarkt