We obviously can win them in one off matches, but the point is right now they are viewed as double serie A champions and on the up by most players. Definitely viewed as better than us.

Not to mention they have always been a huge club in europe.

Are people genuinely suggesting that we're a level above Juventus? Madness.

Players nowadays want to play in La Liga or the Premiership. They're the top leagues. Everything else is a step below. Now obviously players will chose top sides in lesser leagues over the likes of Swansea, etc Now obviously Germans will favour Bayern, Italians the big Italian sides, etc Italy does have a big pull of players from the Balkans though so I could believe Jovetic would prefer them.

Generally though I just think if it was between us and Juve for a player they'd take whoever offered them more money.

If I could have one player from Juve, it wouldn't be Pirlo or Buffon as amazing as they have been. Give me Chiellini. A Koscielny - Chiellini pairing would be spectacular. But back to the topic at hand, can we start getting linked to players of Jovetic's ilk more than Grenier? Color me unimpressed by this silly summer if we get 5-6 10 million pound players as opposed to 3 20 million pound players.

Tony Montana wrote:

Do people really think La Liga is that great?

Yeah, misconception. Generally, other than the big 2 the others are no fight for us, even Valencia and Atletico.

Italy is a different case. Even Milan, Inter and lure players away from us just based on their club reputation.

Hmm..but Bilbao tore United a new one in the Europa. I think its a good league.

Tony Montana wrote:

Do people really think La Liga is that great?

I sure don't but many, many people do.

As for who we'd get from Juve, well the only player moving from Juve to Arsenal this summer will be Nikky B.

If Juventus wants to sign Jovetic and both them and Arsenal have bids accepted - we would have to offer him significantly higher wages for him to choose us. There is no way Jovetic, or any other player that has played in Italy for some time, is going to think we are a more attractive suitor. It really is as simple as that.

Tony Montana wrote:

Do people really think La Liga is that great?

It's just a pre Rangers demise glorified SPL.

Spain's dominance in both CL & Europa league over the last decade suggests very much that La Liga is a pretty good league.

Teams tend to flame out quite quickly though, but I guess we're now in the post-hipster age where slating La Liga is cool.

Oooooow, going against what's hip is soooo hip asa. You're two steps ahead of the game!

asajoseph wrote:

Spain's dominance in both CL & Europa league over the last decade suggests very much that La Liga is a pretty good league.

Teams tend to flame out quite quickly though, but I guess we're now in the post-hipster age where slating La Liga is cool.

I'm not saying it's a bad league.

I'm saying is it that good that you'd rate it second given the competitiveness of the German and Italian leagues?

And it's the English teams that have been the most dominant in the CL in the last decade. Really it's just Barcelona who have really taken hold in the competition. Real Madrid should have won it with the amount of resources they have had.

3 winners each for Spain & England in last 10 years in the CL, 2 for Italy & 1 each for Germany & Portugal. Picture changes when you include runners up & Semi-finalists, but Spain has only 2 real 'premier' teams - we all know that.

Picture changes when you consider Europa League / UEFA though - Spain has won 5 of the last 10, and most of the teams that have done so have been good sides. Obviously the dynamic is a bit different, with not all clubs taking the EL 100% seriously, especially recently, the fact that CL group-stage loser can feed into the competition, and the fact that the format has been different (and changed). But people always seem to parrot the idea that La Liga is Real, Barca & nothing else, when most years that just isn't true.

DM are reporting that our move for Jovetic is at "breaking point" because Fiorentina want £25m and we're not budging from £20m.

Just pay them already! :gah:

Not a hope 🙁
He'll be off to Juve and they'll return Bendtner to us.
Such is our lot

Didn't the DM report that yesterday? I want new news!