Leonardo Bonucci feels Matthijs de Ligt’s comments on his desire to depart Juventus showed a lack of respect to the Bianconeri after the latter completed his move to Bayern Munich.
The Netherlands international sealed his switch to the Bundesliga champions from Turin earlier this month, ending his three-year stint at the Allianz Stadium.
De Ligt made no secret of his desire to move away from Juve, particularly after missing out on the Scudetto in the last two seasons.
But while Bonucci wishes his former defensive partner the best, he admits he had to address some of his words before he departed.
The Italy international stated after the Bianconeri beat Guadalajara 2-0 in a pre-season friendly in Las Vegas:
“De Ligt’s exit didn’t surprise me because specific comments made it clear he didn’t want to stay at Juventus.
“But I think at the end of the day. You need to be respectful. The group he was with for three years helped him grow, and the club invested in him.
“I wish him the best, but his specific comments on international duty were not very nice. We spoke about it after our holidays, and he understood.
“Bayern is a great club, but just being at a top club doesn’t mean you are guaranteed to win.”
Bonucci has not given up hope of completing his club trophy cabinet. With Juventus, despite their recent drop in form.
A multiple Serie A and Coppa Italia winner during his time in Turin – along with a Euro 2020 triumph with the Azzurri – the Champions League remains the last significant club honour to elude him, having been a beaten finalist on two occasions.
“When I joined, my dream was to have a great career and win everything,” he added. “I’ve almost achieved it; I’m 90 per cent there. But, unfortunately, I’m just missing that tiny piece, which hurts us Juve fans.
“Let’s hope we can find stability in Europe over the next two years of my contract. Winning is always tricky. The first step is to reach the quarter-finals; then, you need luck.
“In a unique season, anything can happen, so why not believe in Juve’s future in Europe?”
Likewise, for more football news like this, click here.
