Leonardo Bonucci’s short spell at Union Berlin from September 2023 to January 2024 remains a misunderstanding. The Italian European champion and former Juventus star was celebrated as a royal transfer, but fit neither tactically nor culturally. In only seven Bundesliga matches and three Champions League appearances, he remained pale.
Bonucci, used to the calm of an Italian back three, never got to grips with Union’s intense, high pressing. According to media reports, disillusionment quickly grew on both sides. Already in January 2024, he moved on to Fenerbahce Istanbul.
Among the supporters, the episode quickly acquired the status of a “persona non grata” chapter.