Welcome to Last Word on Football’s ‘Returning Players’ Series. In this edition, we take a look at Italian defender, Leonardo Bonucci.
Bonucci turned out for Juventus from 2010 until 2017 before spending one season at Serie A rivals, AC Milan. He returned to I Bianconeri in 2018 and still turns out for the club.
Returning Players – Leonardo Bonucci
First Spell at Juventus
Leonardo Bonucci began his career with his hometown club Viterbese before signing for Inter Milan. He made just four appearances for the capital club and spent time on loan at Treviso and Pisa in Serie B. He left Inter and joined Bari in 2009 but was snapped up by Juventus after just one season with I Galletti.
The Old Lady spent €15.5 million on the central defender and it would prove to be money well spent.
Bonucci partnered Giorgio Chiellini in the centre of defence and soon netted his first goal for the club in a Europa League playoff match against Sturm Graz. Despite what would be a rare trophy-less season, Bonucci scored three times from 44 appearances in all competitions.
Under new manager Antonio Conte, Bonucci made fewer appearances with veteran Andrea Barzagli competing for the position alongside Chiellini. However, the defender still turned out 37 times as Juve went unbeaten for the season and secured the Serie A title – the first of nine in succession.
After reaching the final of the 2012 UEFA European Championships, losing out to Spain, Bonucci won the Supercoppa Italiana after returning to Juve – the first of five during his time in Turin. His Champions League debut came against Chelsea and he netted his first European goal in a 1-1 draw against Shakhtar Donetsk. Bonucci ended the season with just one goal from 48 appearances.
By now, Bonucci was a fixture in the Juventus side. A further 44 appearances, Serie A title and Supercoppa Italiana success followed, but in Europe, Juventus reached the Europa League semi-final following elimination from the Champions League in the group stages. Bonucci scored a decisive goal in the quarter-final to reach the last four.
Bonucci turned out 52 times the following season, making his 200th club appearance in a 2-0 win over Chievo. Juventus would go on to secure a fifth successive Serie A and recorded the domestic double with a Coppa Italia victory over AC Milan. However, Bonucci and his team lost out in the Champions League final with defeat against Barcelona.
The domestic success continued. Further league titles and cups followed but Juventus were thwarted by Spanish opposition in the Champions League final two years later with defeat against Real Madrid.
It would be Bonucci’s final appearance for Juve before his departure. The Italian defender wanted a new challenge and felt that the“bond had faded” with I Bianconeri, having made 227 appearances.
Teams That Bonucci Played for in Between
Bonucci left to join Serie A rivals AC Milan in a deal worth £35 million, but it was a move that neither the player nor the club will look back on with much fondness.
His performances were below par and the club had a disappointing campaign, finishing sixth in Serie A. Milan would also finish as runners up after defeat in the Coppa Italia final against, of course, Juventus.
His first goal came in a 1-0 win over Crotone at the San Siro before netting an equaliser away at his former club Juventus.
Return to Juventus
After an underwhelming campaign in the capital, Bonucci returned to Turin as part of a swap deal involving Mattia Caldara. However, his return wasn’t a joyful one, with many supporters still angry at his departure to a rival.
One way of fixing relations was to impress on the pitch. He made his way straight into the starting line-up and made an assist as Juve won 3-2 at Chievo. He netted his first goal from his return in a 3-1 win over Napoli and celebrated his 250th Serie A appearance for the club with a goal in a 2-0 victory over Cagliari.
Bonucci added seven goals from 88 outings in his first two seasons back, securing a further two Serie A titles and one Supercoppa Italiana.
This season, Juve have been disappointing in the league and have been knocked out of the Champions League with defeat to Porto. However, I Bianconeri have reached the Coppa Italia final, where they will face Atalanta.
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