Former Juventus captain Leonardo Bonucci discusses his unceremonious summer exit and reveals his aspirations for the future.
The 36-year-old was pushed out of the club by the management who bluntly informed him that he no longer has a place at Continassa.
The defender was defiant at first, so the hierarchy dropped him out of the squad and stripped him of the captaincy, thus prompting a late-summer switch to Union Berlin.
The Italian found this unpleasant treatment hard to swallow and even filed a lawsuit against the club.
However. Bonucci admits that he has now found serenity while looking back on his past at Juventus.
“I miss my family the most. I really miss everything about Italy. But in life, it is necessary to have the courage to face new experiences,” said the Euro 2020 hero in an interview with Marca via ilBianconero.
“But yes, what I miss the most is the family part, seeing my children and my wife every day. The daily life of Turin.”
“Everyone knew what my desire was, but I live this moment with serenity and maturity. Today I am more serene, and less angry about what happened in the summer.
“We need to move forward. I had a wonderful past at Juventus. I wanted to end my career at the club. But it didn’t pan out like this.
“I am confident that I have always given my best for the team. Every week I talk to many of my former teammates.
“This makes it clear that I was an important person in the locker room. I had friendships with the veterans and was a reference point for the young players.”
Bonucci leaves the door open for a return to Juventus as a manager in the future.
“Coming back? It’s one of my goals. I want to be a coach and if I manage to become one of the elite, Juve is one of the clubs I would like to coach.”
Finally, the veteran thanked several former Juventus figureheads, including Andrea Agnelli, Beppe Marotta and Antonio Conte without mentioning any member of the current hierarchy.
“Juventus is a crucial part of my life. I am grateful to Andrea Agnelli, Marotta, Paratici and Nedved, the silent reference.
“I’m also thankful for the coach who changed me the most and helped me develop: Antonio Conte.”
