Leonardo Bonucci held a presser today from Coverciano to discuss Italy’s chances in the Euro. “The wait is finally over. Some national teams may be more equipped than us, but we are right there, and we want to reach the final stages of the competition.”
He lauded coach Roberto Mancini: “We started a precise path under him; he is a top manager when it comes to easing the pressure off of the players and bringing enthusiasm and lightheartedness to the squad. This allows us to have a lot of confidence. It is the first competition where there have not been any controversies in the lead-up, but this does not mean that we will be relaxed in our debut. The squad’s behavior was exemplary; the nice thing about this group is that it combines unity and respect.”
Bonucci was asked whether the transfer market could affect some players: “It will always be a topic of conversation, but everybody is laser-focused on the national team and the Euro. All the players would prefer to be completely settled, but it is not always possible to do it. We are professionals, I am not worried about it.”
On the makeup of the team: “We like to have possession, then everything gets easier if we do not concede, and the credit does not go only to the defense. We do not have world-class players like Cristiano Ronaldo or Romelu Lukaku, but the group makes the difference. We have to bring Italy back where it belongs.”
On Turkey: “They deserve a lot of respect, they were very solid against France, and they are very talented. Merih Demiral told me that he would not let me score. We are ready, and the return of the fans will add a lot of adrenaline.”