Leonardo Bonucci has revealed that he turned down the chance to join Real Madrid last summer as he had his heart set on a return to Juventus.
The Italian centre-back rejoined Juve in a deal worth £31m during the summer transfer window, just a year after leaving for AC Milan for a similar fee.
Bonucci had a choice of clubs to sign for when it became clear Milan wanted him off their books, with Madrid among those to show an interest.
However, the 31-year-old, who has won six Serie A titles at Juventus, says that he could not say no to the Bianconeri.
"Is it true that I rejected Real Madrid? Yes, it is. Real Madrid looked at me and it was a source of pride and a pleasure to be an objective for them," he told reporters.
"It means that I've worked well over the years. The call of Juventus, however, and the desire to get back to feeling at home took my heart and let me decide that the Bianconeri were better for me."
Bonucci has started 26 games for Juventus in all competitions this season and is expected to feature against Atletico Madrid in the Champions League on Wednesday.
Daniel Lewis
