Leonardo Bonucci to Take Legal Action Against Juventus After Exit

Italian defender Leonardo Bonucci has announced his intention to pursue legal action against his former club, Juventus. This move comes in the wake of his recent departure from the club, which was marked by a reported fallout with Juventus manager Massimiliano Allegri.

Bonucci, aged 36, had a storied career at Juventus, spanning two spells and totalling 12 years. However, his recent exclusion from Allegri’s squad during the United States preseason tour and home friendlies raised eyebrows. This led to his departure from the club, with his contract being terminated to facilitate his move to Bundesliga side Union Berlin, where he signed a one-year deal on the deadline day.

In an interview with Sport Mediaset, Bonucci revealed his decision to pursue legal action, citing concerns over his rights as a player. He stated, “My rights stipulated that I should have trained with the team regardless of the technical choice and been put in a position to physically be able to play during the following season. This was not granted to me; I no longer trained with the team. I felt drained of everything, humiliated, I couldn’t do what I love most.”

Bonucci clarified that his legal action was not motivated by financial gain and expressed his intention to donate any proceeds to charity if he were to win the legal battle. He also emphasized that he had no ill will toward Juventus as a club, its fans, or his former teammates. Instead, he asserted that he was pursuing this course of action because he felt that he was not afforded a respectful and worthy conclusion to his career at the club.

The defender, who had previously announced his intention to retire from football in June 2024 upon the scheduled expiration of his Juventus contract, found himself sidelined from training for an extended period. This resulted in his omission from Italy’s national team squad for this month, as explained by the team’s new manager, Luciano Spalletti.

Bonucci expressed his desire to continue playing and representing Italy, despite the setback. He highlighted his appreciation for Spalletti’s personal phone call informing him of the decision and his commitment to doing everything possible to earn a place in the national team.

Looking ahead, Bonucci revealed his aspirations to return to Juventus as a coach in the future. He shared, “When I decide to start coaching, I have my path well in mind. Surely Juventus, when I become a coach, will not be the one of today, and maybe there will be a way, one day, to re-embrace the fans, to greet them and make them understand how important Juventus was for me. The one of today I don’t feel is mine.”