Bonucci hits out at Szczesny for locker room irritation | OneFootball

Leonardo Bonucci accused former Juventus teammate Wojciech Szczesny of ‘talking c**p’ about his tendency to give motivational speeches in the locker room, insisting the goalkeeper was ‘locked in the bathroom smoking.’

The rapport between Bonucci and the other players who shared the experience with him in Turin has been tense, especially now that the defender has retired.

Szczesny commented recently that Bonucci had irritated him and Matthijs de Ligt, who is now at Manchester United, with his pre-match motivational speeches.

“We’d look at each other and say ‘oh not again’ when he went over the top firing himself up,” said Szczesny.

“So we would put our headphones on to make sure we couldn’t listen to him.”

Szczesny and Bonucci argue over Juventus memories

Juventus goalkeeper Wojciech Szczesny reacts during the Italian Serie A football match between Juventus and Atalanta at the Allianz Stadium in Turin, on March 10, 2024. 0, 2024. (Photo by MARCO BERTORELLO / AFP) (Photo by MARCO BERTORELLO/AFP via Getty Images)

Bonucci spoke to Luca Toni for Amazon Prime Video Italia and was asked about these Szczesny suggestions.

“I was upset, also because it violated the sacred privacy of the locker room,” replied the now retired defender.

“I was talking for the good of the team. He wasn’t even there, he was usually locked in the bathroom doing something I won’t mention, although he’s said it too.”

This was a reference to Szczesny’s smoking habit, which the Poland international has never disguised or kept particularly hidden.

“He even dragged De Ligt into it, despite the fact I had a really good rapport with him. I was surprised by Szczesny talking c**p about me, but he had just left football, so perhaps he was confused.”

Szczesny had retired when leaving Juventus this summer, only to be tempted back by a move to Barcelona as a free agent.

Bonucci wore the Juventus jersey from 2010-17, had a brief spell at Milan and returned the next season for another five years.

He shared the locker room with Szczesny from 2018 to 2023, while De Ligt was there from 2019 to 2022.