Diego: Bundesliga >> Serie A

[JaanevarAjeeb]

Interesting points:

http://sports.yahoo.com/soccer/news?...makerdiegobund

After all, the results are def. showing in the national team.

[EKBATAN]

LOL says the guy who FAILED at his only season in serie A. He was supposed to lead juventus and they had their worst season in decades. If bundesliga was better then Diego should've been more successful at a lower league.


As far as infrastructure goes, yes bundesliga is ahead, serie A has lots of old stadiums which they're in the process of rebuilding new ones. Attendance is also lower because of boycotts on how expensive tickets are. so most clubs have financial problems which needs to be fixed before they can catch up.

[JaanevarAjeeb]

He did play miserably, but imo better than 4-5 players, incl. Felipe Melo, who is/was a disaster, but since he is Brazilian he is worshiped like a God in the Serie A, who give breaks if you play regularly as a starter in the Brazilian NT- i.e. Ronaldo (gordo), Adriano, Ronaldinho, Cafu (who was phenomenal but played well beyond his retirement), and the list goes on. Diego didn't fit in Juve's system- he may have played much better in another Serie A team with younger players. Btw, there are plenty of players who are great, but may not play well in Italy. That doesn't automatically equate them to a bad player. He still managed to score 7 goals and 2 goals in the Italian Cup, which doesn't exactly spell failure.

That being said, the Bundesliga is definitely more competitive than ever as teams like Mainz, Hoffenheim, Wolfsburg, and Dortmund (after a long time) as well as lower tier teams are pulling off upsets against Bayern. Aside from Inter, who was completely international aside from Materazzi, Italy's performance in Europe was poor compared to Bundesliga, and the trend is continuing. Financing def. has a lot to do with it, but it is also superior management in Germany, providing ample funding to teams (I don't think there is any team in Germany in too much debt, relatively speaking). Since 1998, when their team failed in the WC, German FA has been pouring money in their youth system and it is paying off well..

[EKBATAN]

This year there is competition in bundesliga but not so much in this entire decade. Serie A also has competition as small teams pull upsets as well. Inter might have won the league last years but they hardly won by more than 1 goal difference and many times they were upset by smaller teams like atalanta, catania, udinese and others. And same reason teams like Roma, Milan, Fiorentina, Napoli, Palermo, Juventus couldnt catch up to inter because those small teams also upset those teams. Inter also had italian players like balotelli who got picked up by man city, santon who was injured most of last year but still played champions league and some other league games, and Toldo the great who has been julio cesar's mentor for past years which is why all of a sudden cesar started becoming a good keeper and replaced Dida as brazil's #1 keeper. That aside from the fact that alot of the argentineans of inter like cambiasso, zanetti, milito have been raised in italian league for years. so yea inter might have been a team with not many italians but they have been playing a very italian game. And i dont know why people always focus on that and not mention other teams like manchester united when they only have the likes of rooney, ferdinand and carrick as their english players, the rest of them are foreigners. their english players like owens, hargreaves and scholes hardly play anyways.



The national team also was obviously picked by Lippi's favorites who was heavily criticized by every italian media and fan. Players such as cassano, totti, rossi, borriello, miccoli, balotelli were left off the squad. And even the good ones like Quagliarella that he picked didnt get to play. Quagliarella scored a hat trick (one ruled off side) in the only 30 min. he played in the last game against slovakia. so i wouldnt judge the national team yet as the new team under prandelli is got bunch of new players so we'll have to see how they do in the next year or so. If italy would've incorporated the same youth players that played against the U-21 euro semis against the same germany players like ozil, khedira, muller and them, then they would've been more successful too. italy lost that semi game 1-0 to germany and it was a great action packed game from beginning to the end with great saves from both keepers.

[JaanevarAjeeb]

The 1-0 grind-out wins are characteristic of Jose Mourinho's philosophy of results are more important than anything. If you look at Inter's team this year, and compare it to last year's, they are markedly inferior, even though they have retained most of the squad. Physical and counter-attack football is probably more characteristic of the current (not traditional) German game, as opposed to the Italian game, which is more possession oriented. In the CL games against Barca, who had a perfectly legit last min. Bojan goal ruled offside, and Bayern, Inter lost in possession, while still pulling away with the W. Inter played very similar to Chelsea, because of Mourinho's discipline and physical play factor. If you look at the keys to Mourinho's success, it is a very solid back line as well as solid holding midfielders- which is why you see Khedeira and Ozil (who plays in front of the holding mid) in Real this year. Btw, Milito is more a product of the Argentinian and Spanish leagues- he's played most of his games for Racing and Zaragoza. He played very similar to Eto'o last year, nothing uniquely Italian about how he played.

[futbol>>>IRAN]

The bundesliga is a more organised and competitive league right now.
and the crowds are generally larger.

[shayan20]

anyone who disagrees is in denial.
Its not just the atmosphere in the stadium, the games are so boring and slow.
IMO bundesliga has been the top league in past few years.
I've been watching many games since last season, from different clubs and its very rare that I go sleep in the middle of the game which happens in almost
every serieA game I watched!!

[persianfire]

Serie A is still superior to the Bundesliga in terms of tactics.

[soheil86]

whoever says the bundesliga is better is only lying to himself. if you say EPL or LIGA are better then ok, that is debatable, but the bundesliga is clearly of a lower quality than the other 3 no matter what their attendances or entertaining games.

[Haf3z]

The most entertaining football is the winning football. It is useless to play like Arsenal if you never win anything.

[shayan20]

whoever says the bundesliga is better is only lying to himself. if you say EPL or LIGA are better then ok, that is debatable, but the bundesliga is clearly of a lower quality than the other 3 no matter what their attendances or entertaining games.

what do you mean lower quality? elaborate please.
I believe bundesliga surpasses SerieA in everything now.

The most entertaining football is the winning football. It is useless to play like Arsenal if you never win anything.

We clearly disagree then. I find Arsenal and Barca's games entertaining most of the time even though if they don't win but they provide fans with attacking football, less concentration on defending tactics. after all as only a fan, thats what you want to see.

[Haf3z]

We clearly disagree then. I find Arsenal and Barca's games entertaining most of the time even though if they don't win but they provide fans with attacking football, less concentration on defending tactics. after all as only a fan, thats what you want to see.

Attacking football does not equal success my friend. Barcelona wins, and therefore their style of play is beautiful. They are magnificent in that aspect. However, I don't consider Arsenals style to be beautiful, because they fail to win (titles). You can completely dominate a game without possessing the ball in football. Possession is a irrelevant factor actually. Inter won the Treble with this formula, beating opponents that played a more possession based football (which is of course also is entertaining to watch). Mourinho's whole plan was to avoid keeping the ball within the team, and as an Inter supporter, I am ecstatic about how well they pulled it off. Was it defensive? Yes! Was it destructive? Yes! Was it beautiful? Yes! Was it successful? Yes!

Laying focus on defense has never been the issue. Inter played offensively in the Serie A too. The main purpose of football is to score more goals than the opponent. Based on what you're saying, we can remove the goals and penalty boxes from Emirates Stadium and just look at Arsenal passing the ball back and forth and showing how well they can retain their possession .

Jokes aside, beautiful football does not necessarily have to be offensive football. Defense can be just as entertaining and beautiful. Imagine your Barcelona playing against Real Madrid, and Real is totally dominating the game, but they still cannot beat you. That is a great satisfaction and in fact great entertainment (just as Barcelona's offensive and creative "El Toque" style of play is entertaining)!

[JaanevarAjeeb]

Attacking football does not equal success my friend. Barcelona wins, and therefore their style of play is beautiful. They are magnificent in that aspect. However, I don't consider Arsenals style to be beautiful, because they fail to win (titles). You can completely dominate a game without possessing the ball in football. Possession is a irrelevant factor actually. Inter won the Treble with this formula, beating opponents that played a more possession based football (which is of course also is entertaining to watch). Mourinho's whole plan was to avoid keeping the ball within the team, and as an Inter supporter, I am ecstatic about how well they pulled it off. Was it defensive? Yes! Was it destructive? Yes! Was it beautiful? Yes! Was it successful? Yes!

Laying focus on defense has never been the issue. Inter played offensively in the Serie A too. The main purpose of football is to score more goals than the opponent. Based on what you're saying, we can remove the goals and penalty boxes from Emirates Stadium and just look at Arsenal passing the ball back and forth and showing how well they can retain their possession .

Jokes aside, beautiful football does not necessarily have to be offensive football. Defense can be just as entertaining and beautiful. Imagine your Barcelona playing against Real Madrid, and Real is totally dominating the game, but they still cannot beat you. That is a great satisfaction and in fact great entertainment (just as Barcelona's offensive and creative "El Toque" style of play is entertaining)!

People like free-flowing offense and attractive football. I don't think Mourinho EVER claimed his football is beautiful, it is effective but not beautiful- 2 entirely different things. Just ask Roman Abrahamovic, which he likes more: Mourinho's Chelsea or Ancelloti's Chelsea (although the foundation was laid by Mourinho) and the answer will be obvious. Going offensive means taking serious risks, which Mourinho hates to do... He would rather defend all game, and score on one or two opportunities rather than retain possession for most of the game.

[EKBATAN]

what it goes down to is which teams you're a fan of. alot of times there are exciting games in other leagues that are end to end and fast but u could careless cuz u dont know the players or u dont care for them. So everyone goes for what they know and who they follow. i have my reasons for watchin italian football cuz of certain players i follow.


to each their own, i love serie A football and its very entertaining, those who claim its boring im sure dont watch the games. Surely not every game is full attack back and forth the whole 90 min, i think whoever says that is full of shit. Alot of times EPL and la liga games get boring too, its not always action packed.

[Haf3z]

People like free-flowing offense and attractive football. I don't think Mourinho EVER claimed his football is beautiful, it is effective but not beautiful- 2 entirely different things. Just ask Roman Abrahamovic, which he likes more: Mourinho's Chelsea or Ancelloti's Chelsea (although the foundation was laid by Mourinho) and the answer will be obvious. Going offensive means taking serious risks, which Mourinho hates to do... He would rather defend all game, and score on one or two opportunities rather than retain possession for most of the game.

I keep saying that beautiful football and offensive football are completely and mutually exclusive! Don't mix things up!

Secondly, do you seriously consider Ancelotti an offensive coach? I am a fan of him so don't get me wrong, but he is definitely not an offensive coach. Furthermore, he is enjoying the success from work made by his predecessors. He did not build Chelsea to become what it is today.

Thirdly, Mourinho is absolutely not a coach that hates taking risks. Like ALL successful managers in the history of football, he always starts to build his teams from the back. One of Mourinho's trademarks and strengths is that he can change the character of games, especially if his team concedes a goal or if it is being tactically overrun by the opponents. References are the games against Rubin Kazan and Dinamo Kiev in last year's Champions League, as well as both games against AC Milan past season. Mind you, Barcelona lost to Rubin Kazan!