Are Italian football teams overrated?

[balmainforever]

Even though all 3 got through to the quartef finals of the Champions League, Juventus looked like a premier team stuck in the bottom half of the EPL and Inter looked worse.
Or is it that some teams perform better in knockout competitions than those from Italy

 

[demon_dave]

the whole Serie A is grossly overrated

 

[Diamond_Joe]

They wont look so over rated when AC Milan lift the cup again, no remaining team left in CL in the same league as AC.

 

[DB10]

They're no more overrated than English teams are.

 

[Diamond_Joe]

They're no more overrated than English teams are.

Good call DB10. There are only two stand out teams at the moment and they are AC and chelsea.

 

[Swifty_446]

I don't think the Italians have anything to worry about.....along with Spain they're the strongest comps in the world. EPL extremely overrated.

 

[Diamond_Joe]

Even though all 3 got through to the quartef finals of the Champions League, Juventus looked like a premier team stuck in the bottom half of the EPL and Inter looked worse.
Or is it that some teams perform better in knockout competitions than those from Italy

I think this guy should be questioning the spanish league more than Serie A. Have a look at their teams and what they did in the CL, so called galacticos!

 

[Swifty_446]

I think this guy should be questioning the spanish league more than Serie A. Have a look at their teams and what they did in the CL, so called galacticos!

I don't think 1 poor season in the CL has made Spainish soccer any weaker, they're just unlucky.

 

[gytre]

In a word, yes. I watch a fair bit of the Serie A (I'm an Inter fan) and I certainly don't think that competition has the quality of the EPL.

 

[DB10]

I think this guy should be questioning the spanish league more than Serie A. Have a look at their teams and what they did in the CL, so called galacticos!

I hate using the CL as a measure of how good a league is. If Barcelona and Real Madrid scored one more goal each they'd have both gone through.

 

[Diamond_Joe]

I don't think 1 poor season in the CL has made Spainish soccer any weaker, they're just unlucky.

And what in the hell do you call Juve then? Two of the luckiest goals scored against them, 1 perfectly valid goal disallowed, numerous goals not allowed by that damn piece of woodwork and played against a liverpool team content on playing with 9 men in their back half. all credit to liverpool, they should be brought into the serie A seeing people like whatching boring and defensive football. I didnt know Paul roos was manager of Liverpool with rodeny Eade as his assistant.

And i dont think 1 poor season in the CL has made Italian soccer any weaker when weve got the eventual champion still representing our league.

 

[DB10]

It wasn't that long ago where there were no Italian teams in the quarter finals, and then a year later the semi finals saw three of them being in the semi finals.

CL is no judge of a league.

 

[Diamond_Joe]

It wasn't that long ago where there were no Italian teams in the quarter finals, and then a year later the semi finals saw three of them being in the semi finals.

CL is no judge of a league.

Understand now balmainforever?

 

[Grechy]

Both leagues have quality teams here and there, I wouldn't dismiss the SPL over 1 CL year, it was just a poor year. Real Madrid are still the best team on today's football park.

Some teams like Arsenal just seem to play better in their respective leagues though. They should have a CL to their name but haven't, which is why Fergies ManUtd were one of the greatest teams I've ever seen to take out the treble.

 

[fevola25_]

italian teams are grossly overrated and play a boring defensive brand of football.

 

[Minkus_Swan]

italian teams are grossly overrated and play a boring defensive brand of football.

and I think you forgot they're on the roids as well!

Just joking, I love to watch both the spanish and italian football leagues. Although I don't get to really see much football (apart from sbs coverage) anymore since moving back to australia.

Ahh I miss those cold and misty sunday arvo's when you're sitting at your local getting plastered while attempting to watch skysports and eat the aweful food...

 

[mcgarnacle]

I hate using the CL as a measure of how good a league is. If Barcelona and Real Madrid scored one more goal each they'd have both gone through.

i have to say - reluctantly - that i agree with you.

the performance measure is more reliable over a season of matches, not a 2-leg match-race.

besides, the strength of a league should encompass all clubs within it, not just the top 3 or 4.

 

[Diamond_Joe]

italian teams are grossly overrated and play a boring defensive brand of football.

I see youre a chelsea fan, well get ready for "boring and defensive" football cause youre going to get it with your next opponent. And it aint an Italian opponent saturday night fevola!

 

[JF_Bay_22_SCG]

I think this guy should be questioning the spanish league more than Serie A. Have a look at their teams and what they did in the CL, so called galacticos!

That is a fair call. However I still think the best technical football in Europe is played in La Liga. It is genuinely committed to attacking football, yet the emphasis is on playing attractive skilful possession-based football. (Nb-Barcelona, who are a pleasure to watch.)

The Premier League has improved markedly, but let's face it alot of matches between lower teams are often rampant scraps played at 10 million miles per hour. Chelsea are a class above the rest of the sides this season. When allowed to Arsenal are great to watch. Likewise Man United and maybe Newcastle can play football that is good to watch. But some of the teams are not brilliant to watch.

Italian football has this stifling rigidity about it at times. There is just this mentality to structure the life out of the game. In many games goal-mouth action is few and far between.(ie the Champions League final in Manchester) And coaches are extreme strategists at how to stop their opponents as much as how to beat them. This often leads to Italian teams being successful, because they can get the 1-0, and then shut up shop.

I still think that Milan are the most complete team left in Europe. Them winning the Champions League would not displease me, as I think they have the pedigree of a CL winner.

Is the Serie A overrated, no I don't think it is. It constantly gets flack because of the negative cynical approaches of many teams when they play. But it is probably still the highest standard league in Europe, even if the Spanish and English play more attacking attractive football.

and then there is the Bundesliga, which has to suffice itself with being the highest drawing league. As well as the cheapest for match tickets. and terracing at every ground too, gotta love that!

JF

 

[The Shev]

Juventus and Inter Milan have been consistant performers in the latter stages of the Champions League recently. Inter were probably unlucky to come up against AC Milan, otherwise they could have probably advanced against another side. Juventus were a touch unlucky during the match, but they are a bit of a fading force which needs to re-build. AC Milan, well they don't need no comment on how good they are.

Looking over at England, Chelsea are starting to perform after the Russian pumped millions of dollars in, Liverpool have strangely made the last 4, Arsenal once again failed as did Manchester Utd.

While in Spain, Real Madrid is definately on the way down after several years at the top, Barcelona looked good for the money after a couple of disappointing seasons, but once again failed, and Valencia and Deportivo were a no-show this year.

In summary, Italian football is far from over-rated. Still possibly the strongest league in the world.