Marotta: ‘Bonucci wanted to go’

By Football Italia staff

Beppe Marotta confirms Leonardo Bonucci pushed to leave Juventus for Milan - “any transfer is mainly due to the will of the player”.

The centre-back left the champions this summer to join the Rossoneri, but he’s struggled in the opening weeks of the season.

“Bonucci is a top player,” Marotta told Domenica Sportiva.

“It’s definitely been a difficult transition for him, but I think you have to evaluate his teammates too.

“Football is a team game, an individual can add value but I think the collective is the important thing. At Juventus we hope they can become competitive, then we’ll try to beat them.

“Why did we sell Bonucci? Because we know very well that choices are primarily made by the players, to they’re the architects of their own destiny.

“Bonucci made a decision, and Juventus don’t hold on to players who express the will to leave.

“That doesn’t mean relations are bad, Bonucci is a great player but he made this choice, probably to enhance his skills and find new stimuli.

“Any transfer is mainly due to the will of the player, so he decides. It’s clear that the club could have a more direct confrontation with him, but when that’s the will I think it’s best to let players go.

“Bonucci was our player and he did really well with us. It was probably his personal ambition which led to him to make this choice, and we have to respect that.

“Juventus go forward and Bonucci has the chance to have a different career.”

Marotta was also asked about the Champions League, with Juve reaching the final and losing in 2015 and 2017.

“We’re meeting our average in the Champions League, our group was made more complicated by the presence of Barcelona.

“We haven’t qualified yet, but if we do it depends solely on us.

“The Champions League final is a sweet thing, but you have to win it. We’re participating in the two competitions [Serie A and the Champions League] and the best would be to win both.

“If I had to choose… yes, the Champions League is something all Juventini are waiting for, and us too.

“I think the disappointment from Cardiff has passed, but at the time it cut us deeply. We arrived very fired-up, more optimistic compared to Berlin.

“Real Madrid are a very strong team though, the best in Europe, and those values came out.”

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