Bonucci hails Scudetto with a difference

Leonardo Bonucci believes the controversy over Massimiliano Allegri’s appointment as Juventus coach lends a different edge to their fourth consecutive Serie A triumph.

The Italy defender was a part of the Juventus team that secured a hat-trick of domestic titles under club icon Antonio Conte.

Last July, Conte’s surprise resignation brought Allegri into the Juventus hotseat, with fans protesting against the former Milan coach’s appointment.

But the Scudetto ultimately stayed in Turin, with Arturo Vidal’s 32nd-minute header against Sampdoria on Saturday enough to seal Serie A glory ahead of Tuesday night’s UEFA Champions League semi-final against Real Madrid and a June Coppa Italia final with Lazio.

Bonucci was quick to praise Allegri and the mentality of his team-mates during the testing early days of his reign.

“It’s amazing how wonderful this Scudetto feels, as we started amid chaos and a goodbye that could’ve hurt us badly,” Bonucci told Sky Sport Italia.

“Instead, we immediately got our heads in the right space and worked hard from the first day to help coach Allegri.

“This title does feel different, as we started in a bit of a stormy atmosphere. We had a new coach that nobody expected, but we players did well to help the coach.

“Similarly, he was intelligent to get into our mentality and stick with a system that we felt secure with before gradually making changes.

“The team now likes to hold the ball and keep possession, playing some very attractive football. I think that’s the main difference.”