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Leonardo Bonucci plays down Chelsea rumours
“We are focused on the EURO and I believe that whoever will replace Conte should continue on his path. We all want to bring the national team back to the top. I can only thank Ventura because he made me play 38 games out of 38 in my first Serie A season [at Bari], he was very brave.”
Linked with a summer move to Chelsea, Bonucci denied that he wants to leave his current club Juventus: “I have a long contract and I see no reason to change club. I am very happy in Turin.”
“I’ve played my last game on the 14th of May so I am ready and motivated to go back on the pitch again. I worked a lot last week because I wanted to come here at my best. We are not among the favourite teams, but we can a surprise.”
“Pirlo embodies football. You can’t discuss him. He’s a phenomenon on the pitch and a leader inside the dressing room. He’s very pleasant, despite appearances to the contrary.”
“Balotelli should have been cleverer and change his behaviour he hasn’t done it yet. He would have been useful here. There is no space for any ‘prima donna’ here, we must be like panzers. He could be one of the best strikers out there, but he still has time. I hope the future will give him great satisfactions.”
Lorenzo Bettoni @lorebetto