Italian defender Leonardo Bonucci has made the decision to take legal action against his former club Juventus after a reported fallout with manager Massimiliano Allegri. This fallout ultimately led to Bonucci’s departure from the club. Bonucci, who spent a total of 12 years in Turin over two different spells, was notably left out of Allegri’s squad for the United States preseason tour as well as the team’s home friendlies prior to their Serie A opener on August 20th.
In order to facilitate his move to Bundesliga side Union Berlin, Bonucci agreed to terminate his contract with Juve. On the deadline day, he signed a one-year contract with Union Berlin. Speaking to Sport Mediaset in an interview published on Thursday, Bonucci expressed his intention to pursue legal action against Juventus.
Violated Rights and Emotional Toll
According to Bonucci, he felt that his rights were violated as his contract stipulated that he should have continued training with the team regardless of the technical choices made by Allegri. He believed that he should have been given the opportunity to physically prepare for the forthcoming season. Unfortunately, this opportunity was not granted to him, leaving him feeling drained, humiliated, and unable to engage in what he loves most.
Despite his decision to take legal action, Bonucci made it clear that he did not harbor any ill feelings towards Juventus. He saw the club as the fans, the team, and his former teammates. He emphasized that his cause was motivated by the fact that he wasn’t given the chance to end his career at Juventus in a respectful and dignified manner. Bonucci went on to state that he wasn’t seeking any financial reward from the lawsuit. If he were to win the legal battle, he committed to donating all the proceeds to charity.
The Impact on International Duties
Bonucci’s extended period of being sidelined from training ultimately had consequences beyond his club career. His absence from training led to him not being called up for the Italian national team this month by new manager Luciano Spalletti. Prior to making the official list, Spalletti had privately informed Bonucci of his decision. However, despite not being selected, Bonucci expressed his determination to continue playing and to make himself available for future national team call-ups.
Looking ahead, Bonucci revealed his hopes of returning to Juventus one day, but not as a player. He expressed his interest in coaching and stated that he has a clear path in mind when the time comes to transition to coaching. He acknowledged that Juventus may be a different club by that time, but he expressed his desire to reconnect with the fans and show them how important the club has been to him throughout his career. However, Bonucci made it clear that the current state of Juventus does not feel like his own.
Immediate comments from Juventus regarding Bonucci’s decision to take legal action could not be obtained at the time of writing.
Leonardo Bonucci’s fallout with manager Massimiliano Allegri has resulted in legal action being taken against his former club, Juventus. Bonucci felt that his rights were violated, leading to his contract termination and subsequent move to Union Berlin. Despite his intentions, he expressed no animosity towards Juventus and vowed to donate any legal proceeds to charity. The fallout also impacted Bonucci’s international career, as he was not called up for Italy. Looking ahead, Bonucci hopes to return to Juventus one day as a coach and expressed his desire to reconnect with the fans. However, the current state of the club does not resonate with him.
Leave a Reply