Leonardo Bonucci is won over by Milan Coach Gennaro Gattuso’s passion, but hints at the “crisis” that made him leave Juventus.
The Rossoneri are unbeaten in 10 competitive games and surged into joint sixth place with Sampdoria following last night’s 1-0 victory.
“We have to take it one game at a time,” Bonucci told Mediaset Premium and Radio 105.
“Now we’ll focus on the second leg of the Europa League tie with Ludogorets, then we’re going to Roma looking to win.
Leonardo Bonucci is won over by Milan Coach Gennaro Gattuso’s passion, but hints at the “crisis” that made him leave Juventus.
The Rossoneri are unbeaten in 10 competitive games and surged into joint sixth place with Sampdoria following last night’s 1-0 victory.
“We have to take it one game at a time,” Bonucci told Mediaset Premium and Radio 105.
“Now we’ll focus on the second leg of the Europa League tie with Ludogorets, then we’re going to Roma looking to win.
“Finally we have become a team. The results are there for all to see and a lot of the credit goes to the Coach, capable of pressing the right buttons. We’re keeping our feet on the ground and aiming for big objectives.”
The players have all praised Gattuso for his hands-on approach, which can range from hugs to slaps on the back of the head to a combination of the two.
“He is the first to start training at Milanello. It’s amazing how much he fires people up, I don’t think I’ve ever seen anything like it in another Coach. Plus, he has his famous five-finger salute!”
It’s a total transformation from the side that struggled under Vincenzo Montella, but now Milan are closing on Inter, who are plunging into a crisis.
“I’ve experienced few moments in my career like that, but when it happened, it was because individuals weren’t helping each other out.
“There were so many new faces and it was difficult to perform straight away. It took time and the Coach was fundamental, giving us self-belief and confidence when he arrived. Trust in our teammates is crucial to emerge from difficult moments.
“Now we step on to the field in order to win and not to avoid losing. It has all changed. I don’t want to hear the word ‘lose’ ever again in my career.”
Yet Bonucci also hinted at why he left Juventus after two lost Champions League Finals.
“At Juve the crisis came after (the 2015 defeat to Barcelona) in Berlin. As individuals, we couldn’t help each other.”