Despite being one of the most experienced players in the national team, Leonardo Bonucci remains far from being a fan favorite for Italy.

The Juventus defender caused some controversies throughout his career – including some questionable comments and some other incidents – which took its toll on the way he’s being perceived.

Nonetheless, Leo remains a vital part of Roberto Mancini’s plans, as the Azzurri are targeting a European triumph this year.

In the absence of his teammate Giorgio Chiellini, the 34-year-old will be acting as the national team’s captain when Italy takes on Austria in the round of 16 of Euro 2020.

The center back was a part of the pre-match press conference on Friday, and has apparently embraced his role as a villain, but at the same time hoping that his compatriots put their support behind him, at least during the competition.

“It’s a very important game against a side that is tough to face, but there’s a good atmosphere in the locker room and that’s the most important thing,” said Bonucci in the press conference as translated by Football Italia.

“We have the utmost respect for Austria, as they have quality, freshness and physicality to give us a good game. We’re prepared and ready to play our football.

“We never said that we felt superior to anyone, just that we were confident that we were on the right track with coach Roberto Mancini, but that if we lower our focus, concentration and aggression for a moment, we become a ‘normal’ team.

“As we said, the fundamental is the group, we are greater than the sum of our parts. I saw the faces of the players very aware of what we are fighting for, and ready to give their all for us, for the staff and all those who love Italy.

“There are some games where you should play ugly and focus on determination. We’ve done that, we set up a siege wall in front of our penalty area. It’s about having both approaches available and choosing the right one in each moment.

“Details will make the difference, so we need to focus on every tiny element, because those will swing the tie one way or another.

“In the way they play, Austria are honestly the most difficult opponent we’ve faced in the tournament so far. They have a very ‘German’ approach, they press high and go to win back the ball straight away, so they are a step above the teams we’ve played so far at the Euros.

“The important thing is that when we wear this jersey, we all fight for the Azzurri and that is all. If in a month’s time people go back to hating me, that’s something I’ve always lived with in my career,” concluded the captain.