Juventus Seeing The Benefits From Prodigal Son Leonardo Bonucci's Return

Juventus Seeing The Benefits From Prodigal Son Leonardo Bonucci's Return
20:55, 02 Sep 2018

He knew. Moments after the final whistle blew to end his first game back at Juventus Stadium, Leonardo Bonucci was clearly aware that joining his team-mates in running towards supporters in the Curva Sud to celebrate was never going to be enough. Just a year earlier, he had turned his back on them by joining AC Milan, breaking ties completely when he exuberantly celebrated a goal for the Rossoneri in front of those same hardcore fans.

Before that he had become one of them, joining the Old Lady from Genoa back in 2010 and blossoming into one of the world’s best defenders. Over 300 appearances, six Serie A titles, three Coppa Italia wins and two Champions League finals had seemingly cemented his place as a club legend, Bonucci even taking a seat in among those same Ultras for a match against Empoli when he was serving a one-match suspension.

Then came last summer, a falling out with Juve boss Max Allegri and a number of on-going personal issues clearly affecting his thinking as the Italy international demanded a move away. Ultimately he went to Milan, becoming Captain of a side that would endure a difficult and disappointing campaign, Bonucci causing yet another stir when he admitted the whole thing was a terrible mistake as he returned to the Bianconeri.

“My decision last summer was very emotional and was dictated by how I felt at the time,” he told reporters after the deal brining him back to Juventus was confirmed. “I took that decision in the heat of the moment because I didn’t feel at ease. I didn’t feel like I was in the right place and I couldn't be myself at the time. I wanted to make a change and I thought that change could give me something extra. However over the course of the season, things went differently and I left my heart in Turin with my family who continued to live here.”

But as last week’s clash with Lazio came to an end, Bonucci knew there was still much work to be done if the damage he had caused was to ever be repaired. Words in press conferences or interviews mean little to those who spend their Sunday afternoons at the stadium. They expect the players to care for the colours they wear with the same pride and passion they feel every time they enter the arena.

It was with that in mind that he lingered longer than his team-mates, holding up his hands in apology and appearing to beg forgiveness. It will not happen overnight, but it might slowly begin to move the needle in terms of how Bonucci is greeted next time he steps out for a home game, the whistles and boos that greeted his introduction that night perhaps becoming less vociferous in future appearances.

Of course, he is not naive enough to believe such a gesture will be enough, both he and the fans he longs to win back knowing that the only way to truly repair their relationship is with victories, good performances and time. In that regard, Bonucci’s second spell with Juve has gotten off to a poor start, the 31-year-old at fault for goals scored by both Chievo and Parma in the opening three games.

On each occasion, a blip in concentration – something he appeared to have eradicated from his play before that year at San Siro – saw him switch off and lose his man, the Bianconeri punished both times as Gervinho (Parma) and Mariusz Stepinski (Chievo) grabbed unlikely equalisers for their respective teams.

Bonucci was much better against Lazio, and in his third outing at the Ennio Tardini his performance outside of that one error was largely excellent as the graphic in the tweet above illustrates. His passing helped launch numerous attacks and his positioning was good, the relationship he enjoys with Giorgio Chiellini seeing both men showing their best qualities.  

“I understand the fans, I respect them,” Bonucci said at a press conference last month. “I’ll accept the whistling and booing, it’s up to me to transform that all into applause. Juventus have been everything to me over the years. I grew up a lot here and the club always supported me. Now I feel like I’ve grown as a man in this year. I need to kick on again as a footballer. I have the fortune of playing with world-class stars and I’ll defend the Bianconeri colours as I did before.”

Despite the club making it three wins out of three to start the 2018/19 campaign, he has a long way to go to achieve that aim and much work to do before those jeers become positive support once again. Leonardo Bonucci might be back at Juventus, but that doesn’t mean the fans are ready to forgive him just yet.

He knows.

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