Juventus defender Leonardo Bonucci believes that winning a Europa League title would restore the Old Lady’s status as one of the best teams in Europe.
The Bianconeri will be facing Benfica in their second leg semi-final match on Thursday in Turin and will need a victory to advance to the final, as they currently trail this season’s Portuguese champions 2-1 on aggregate, and the Italian international is confident that team-mate Andrea Pirlo can help lead the Serie A side to success.
Bonucci spoke to the official UEFA website about Thursday’s match and admitted that a little luck may be needed to reach the tournament final at Juventus Stadium, while also praising Pirlo’s leadership qualities.
“Any team that makes it to this point in the competition are strong,” said the former Bari man, who is also turning 27-years-old on Thursday.
“Benfica also have individual talent, which they confirmed in the quarter-finals. They already reached the final last season, but lost in the end to a great team like Chelsea.
“In football I believe we also need a little bit of luck, besides how we play on the field, the outcome is sometimes based on these individual moments.
“Winning in Europe? It’s an important goal, since we haven’t done so since the 1995-96 season. It would be a source of pride and would bring Juventus back to being among the best teams in Europe.
“Pirlo? He’s a silent leader, but he knows how to carry the team through difficult moments. He demonstrated this earlier on in Florence to help us go through, and then again in Lyon.
“Juventus Stadium? In Italy, there’s nothing else like it. It’s innovative and gives everyone a perfect view of the pitch.”
