Leonardo Bonucci has given an extensive interview to La Gazzetta dello Sport, saying that he chose Milan because of the project and not the money (‘I would have earned more abroad’), claiming that the hate from Juventus fan on social media doesn’t bother him, and hoping to do for Milan at least what Pirlo did for the Bianconeri when he switched sides.

This transfer market has been the most important summer in a very long time for Milan as they signed 10 players for over €200m and many believe that the most important arrival is that of Leonardo Bonucci, who joined a month ago from Juventus for €42m (paid in 3 installments).

Bonucci had been one of the biggest symbols of Juve in the last few years and he decided to switch from White and Black to Red and Black. He has been chosen to lead the new era at Milan, and on Thursday he will become the third man in Milan history to wear the captain’s armband on his debut.

On Sunday night, Bonucci watched his ex-side getting beaten by Lazio in the Italian Supercoppa Italiana. Many said after the match that Juve is not the same without Leo, but the center back, in an interview with today’s edition of La Gazzetta dello Sport, insists that he’s only focused on Milan.

“It was strange to watch Juventus on TV, but now that’s the past. My present and future is called Milan,” Bonucci said. “If I feel like a hero, even before I started [at Milan]? I thought that there would be a bit more skepticism towards me. This enthusiasm motivates me to give even more.

“I can’t wait to debut in this stadium. I confess that I’m a bit worked up: San Siro is history and on the day of the preliminary [the match against Craiova], although I didn’t play, it was one of the few times when I was excited by entering a stadium. I would love to see the same crowd again.

“The fans think that giving me the captain’s armband was a sacrosanct act? It is an important responsibility. I will give all of myself to defend this shirt from the first to the last minute of each game. If I expected to get it? Honestly, I didn’t. The important thing, though, is that there is a driven group, and Milan is a lucky club because there are people here that know how to make a group.

“I was pleasantly impressed by the spirit of sacrifice of the South Americans. I’m very happy with the locker room, there are nice people. How did Montolivo take it? It was a choice shared by the club, the coach and the team. I spoke with Riccardo about what could happen from the first day. He’s a great person and a great player. No-one wants to outdo anyone; the intention is to create a team. What counts is the common good, that’s what really important – not the captain.

“What does it mean to be a leader? I can put my charisma and experience at disposal, but it’s the team that makes you one. I’m fortunate to have learned from great leaders like Gigi Buffon, Alessandro Del Piero and Giorgio Chiellini. As for everything else, the secret to creating a group is in small things, in details. Milan deserve to come back to the top and that’s what the club has asked us.

“[Juventus coach] Massimiliano Allegri said that I would’ve been the captain of the future? As I said, now I’m only concerned about Milan and Juventus is in the past. I thank them for what they’ve given me, with them I have become one of the best defenders in the world, but when you make certain choices then you take the responsibility and have your own consequences. Juventus and Allegri made very precise choices during the last season and I have made my own accordingly.

“Allegri said that the ‘divorce’ was my decision? Certainly my evaluations were no longer those of the past, but the choice was shared with the club, so it’s not all me. Everything starts from Porto [the CL match when he was left in the stands after an argument with Allegri during a game against Palermo], but there were some incidents before that already, which were perhaps less egregious.

“I can eventually find Allegri in La Nazionale? If that must be, then it will be. We are all professionals, there is no problem. If I’ve spoken with any of my former teammates? Of course, yesterday I gave birthday wishes to Chiellini. And then with some of them there is a common route in the Nazionale.

“Going from Juventus to Milan is a special experience? I hope to do for Milan what Pirlo did for Juventus. Why I chose Milan? Because they had the most ambitious project. I live for challenges, and Fassone and Mirabelli made me feel important and they wanted me strongly.

“Otherwise, the negotiations would not have lasted for only 48 hours. Love is either born immediately or never born, and it’s certainly not a matter of money: to those who say I’m a mercenary, I say that I also had offers from abroad, where I would’ve earned more.

“Juventus also started off as a ‘construction site’? It’s true, and I find many analogies. In fact, I chose Milan also because in my head there is the idea of repeating the route I did with Juventus, when we had started from a re-foundation, like in this case, and we got to the top. Here, I want to get even higher. Within four years I hope to win the Champions League. I want to take home everything.

“Impressions after the first month of work? This is my new home and it’s beautiful, I like it. Immediately I had the impression that I feel at home. I’m already familiar with Milano [he used to be an Inter player]? For now, I’m still living in a hotel, in September we’ll move into a new house. I lead a normal life, some nights ago I was in Versilia with my brother-in-law, and I want my children to live in normality too. The other day I took the metro, Milan has changed, it’s evolved, it’s very beautiful.

“I seem more relaxed? I’m charged and hungrier than ever, always giving more than my limitations. My goal is to bring Milan back to the Olympus of world football. I chose this club to start again and I’m here to win. The Scudetto? Juventus remain the favorites and Napoli have a great chance of playing for the title. Now, as we are at the moment, we’re a step below both of them but we must not limit ourselves. After Juve and Napoli, I see Roma, Inter and Milan as equals.

“And what if Andrea Belotti or Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang arrived? [Laughs] Belotti [who is Bonucci’s son favorite player] is one who can drag you forward, he works so hard. I don’t know if he will come but whoever should arrive, he needs to be available in both phases. A striker of the top level will ease you into many things, it would be the perfect closure of a stimulating and exciting mercato.

“After seven years at Juventus, I’ve tied myself to Milan for five? Frankly, I see myself in this club for long and it stimulates me to be even more ‘bad’. Bianconeri fans are angry at me on social media [many see him as a traitor]? If I was influenced by social media, then I would have left Juventus in 2011 and this year I wouldn’t have come to Milan. They insult me because I changed my shirt, but on social media people are free to say their own and I don’t feel resentment.

“If [Milan coach Vincenzo] Montella said anything special to me? I see a lot of desire to improve and to convey the desire to win in him. He is a very clever technical and has a great future as coach, I hope to win with him. His idea of football is very good, I’ve never seen anyone set up a game like he does with a four-man blackline [Montella insists on starting the play from the back]. We’ll soon change to a three-man defense [Musacchio-Bonucci-Romagnoli]? Honestly, four or three, for me it’s the same. In three, there is more field to defend, you know how many times I found myself in 1v1?

“If I see myself as a coach? Absolutely yes, I’ve been thinking about it for 4-5 years. I can still play for 6-7 years and then I can coach. It’s something that [current Chelsea boss Antonio] Conte transmitted to me, I see a bit of him in myself. And I want to raise a trophy also as a coach.”

Bonucci’s first objective, of course, will be to get a good result against KF Shkëndija in the EL on Thursday (20:45 CET). And then, with Leo and a top striker, who knows where Milan can get?