Juventus great Bonucci admits ex-Atalanta & Liverpool stars gave him sleepless nights, not Messi or Ronaldo

Former Juventus defender Leonardo Bonucci recently revealed his toughest opponents, but surprisingly, it wasn’t football icons Lionel Messi or Cristiano Ronaldo, Soccernet.football reports.

Instead, Bonucci named former Atalanta striker Duván Zapata and ex-Liverpool forward Luis Suarez as his most challenging adversaries.

During an interview with SkyCalcioClub, the Italian legend reflected on his illustrious career, which saw him win eight Serie A titles with Juventus and EURO 2020 with the Italy national team.

Despite facing many football greats, Bonucci singled out Zapata and Suarez as the strikers who gave him the hardest time on the pitch.

“The one that hit me the most and the one I had more fun with was Luis Suarez because he hit and got hit without any problem,” Bonucci said, recalling the fierce battles with the Uruguayan, who played for Barcelona and Liverpool.

However, it was Zapata who Bonucci described as his “nightmare.”

He explained, “My nightmare, who didn’t make me sleep at night, was Zapata. God, before games against his Atalanta side, I couldn’t sleep at night. His power and physicality made him my nightmare.”

In addition to these two strikers, Bonucci acknowledged other champions he faced throughout his career, including Didier Drogba, Fernando Torres, Messi, and Ronaldo.

Reflecting on his career, he said, “I was lucky enough to play against so many champions.”

Bonucci, who retired last summer after stints at Union Berlin and Fenerbahçe, also addressed his controversial move from Juventus to AC Milan in 2017 and revealed that he turned down two offers from Pep Guardiola’s Manchester City.

A true defensive stalwart, Bonucci also earned 121 caps for Italy, scoring eight goals for the Azzurri.