Milan Ace Leonardo Bonucci Reveals Motivation Behind Celebration After Scoring Against Juventus

AC Milan defender Leonardo Bonucci has claimed that the harsh treatment and jeers from Juventus fans caused him to change his mind and celebrate when he scored

AC Milan defender Leonardo Bonucci has claimed that the harsh treatment and jeers from Juventus fans caused him to change his mind and celebrate when he scored in his side's 3-1 loss to the Serie A leaders.

Speaking in the wake of the defeat, via Football Italia, the Italian icon admitted he initially had no intention to celebrate against his former club if he scored, stating: "I have no resentment towards the fans, as they have the right to do what they see fit. It was an intense and emotional match. I wasn’t planning on celebrating my goal, but the jeers made up my mind.

MARCO BERTORELLO/GettyImages

"It was certainly an emotional occasion. I thought the welcome was 50-50, they preferred to jeer me and I respect that, but I think I gave a great deal to Juventus and in seven years played more than anyone. I did have a joke with my former teammates about the unbeaten run, because I was in the side when Juventus set the record of 979 minutes unbeaten."

In a heated game, Paulo Dybala gave Juventus the lead within the first ten minute, before Bonucci's towering header pulled a goal back for the visitors, before late efforts from Juan Cuadraro and Sami Khedira sealed victory for Bianconeri. 

The big win put the hosts four points clear at the top of the table, after Napoli were held to surprise a 1-1 draw with Sassuolo.

Meanwhile, I Rossoneri manager Gennaro Gattuso has hit out at his midfielder Hakan Çalhanoğlu following the loss, claiming that the Turkish international's propensity for giving away possession and blaming it on his teammates was a highly undesirable characteristic. 

Gattuso also claimed that the 24-year-old's behaviour led to Juve scoring their second goal.