Leonardo Bonucci admits he “really thought Juventus were going to win” the 2015 Champions League Final with Barcelona.
The Bianconeri defender sat down with UEFA.com to discuss the 3-1 defeat.
“I will never forget the date, June 6, as we reached the Final so fired up,” said Bonucci.
“We proved that we could fight it out with Barcelona on the field, but perhaps at the very moment we really thought Juventus were going to win, that’s when we lost it.
Leonardo Bonucci admits he “really thought Juventus were going to win” the 2015 Champions League Final with Barcelona.
The Bianconeri defender sat down with UEFA.com to discuss the 3-1 defeat.
“I will never forget the date, June 6, as we reached the Final so fired up,” said Bonucci.
“We proved that we could fight it out with Barcelona on the field, but perhaps at the very moment we really thought Juventus were going to win, that’s when we lost it.
“After the equaliser we pushed so hard for the winner that we allowed those spaces at the back, which we hadn’t done until then.
“Barcelona had found their goal on our positional error, but hadn’t really created very much after that, despite having a galactic selection of strikers.
“We had done really well in defence, then once we believed that we could go on and win it, we left spaces and you cannot do that against players like Leo Messi, Neymar and Luis Suarez.
“It’s a shame, but that defeat taught us to remain concentrated at all times and never take anything for granted.”
Bonucci not only had to mark Messi in the Champions League Final, but also helped Juve defeat Cristiano Ronaldo’s Real Madrid in the semi-final that year.
“They are two world class players, each in their own way. Messi has more natural talent, he’s supernatural, while Ronaldo constructed himself more.
“They are two phenomenons and playing against them was truly stimulating, because you are forced to give 110 per cent. 100 per cent is not enough.
“It is always exciting for me to be up against certain champions, because… I don’t even know why, but at moments and in some games something within you bursts out, something you don’t get in a normal game.
“Perhaps that is what I must improve on this year and until the end of my career – giving that 110 per cent in every game.”