Leonardo Bonucci assures Juventus can cope without Giorgio Chiellini in the Champions League final as Andrea Barzagli is ‘one of the best in the world’.
Chiellini was ruled out of tomorrow’s match with a calf injury, but his defensive partner insists it will not be a problem to play alongside Barzagli.
“I’ve been described as a player with personality, and I want to prove it again tomorrow,” Bonucci told reporters in the pre-match Press conference.
Leonardo Bonucci assures Juventus can cope without Giorgio Chiellini in the Champions League final as Andrea Barzagli is ‘one of the best in the world’.
Chiellini was ruled out of tomorrow’s match with a calf injury, but his defensive partner insists it will not be a problem to play alongside Barzagli.
“I’ve been described as a player with personality, and I want to prove it again tomorrow,” Bonucci told reporters in the pre-match Press conference.
“Barzagli has been unlucky for a year, but he’s one of the best in the world. He’s physical, and there’s no-one better than him one-on-one.
“The loss of Giorgio is important, it makes things more difficult. But as Italians, its in these moments that we are at our best, we’ve worked well, and we want to dedicate this dream to him, as he’s worked so hard to get here.
“We want to dedicate it to him and all of Juventus.”
The match comes not long after the 30th anniversary of the Heysel Stadium disaster, in which 39 Juventus fans lost their lives, and Bonucci admits it will provide extra motivation.
“The memory of Heysel is an emotional one. The memory of that tragedy is an extra motivation to win the Champions League, to dedicate it to those who lost their lives in pursuit of a dream.”
One person who wasn’t happy about the trip to Berlin, is Bonucci’s young son.
“Lorenzo asked me, ‘Dad where are you going?’,” the defender smiled.
“I told him ‘Berlin’, and he said ‘Ugh, I wanted to go to the beach’.
“I told him that on Sunday I will take him to the beach with mamma, and it will be a nice gift.”