Definitively.

Ligue 1 is a curious division. A lot of top quality players ply their trade there, and historically some real powerhouses come from there; Monaco, PSG, Marseille, Bordeaux, Auxerre, Lille - and yet for the league's undeniable health, as soon as a good player emerges, they move onto Spain or England. For the riches in France, their football clubs cannot hold onto top players, and as a result from once upon a time being one of the most lauded leagues around it's no longer even in the second tier of European football. Barely even the third tbh. A truly world class player would either leave, or stroll the division.

imho the current state of hierarchy in Europe for leagues is:

1: England/Spain
3: Germany
4: Portugal
5: Italy
6: France.

Which is why FFP won't work all too well in my opinion.

England and Spain are the top leagues for 1 reason. Money. England has an entire worldwide appeal, La Liga maybe isn't as big in Asia, but it is in the Americas. The tv money these leagues generate make it near impossible for others to compete.

How can teams in Italy ever compete in FFP? They earn less money from merchandising, tv and ticket sales. How can they possibly make up for it?

Portugal above Italy? I don't know about that.

Wil be by the UEFA co-efficients by next season. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/sad.gif)

We've disagree on this before. Italy was easily above Portugal in years gone by, but these days Portugal is I believe 5.5 points above Italy in the coefficient table with the same number of qualifying clubs.

Plus Porto were above us in Pot 1 seeding, while Benfica were in pot 2 with no Italian side in it at all. Juve were in pot 3.

Portugal is a strong league these days, with Porto its marquee club.

We shouldn't take coefficients so seriously. I think the Portuguese league is very poor. Yes, they have a few strong teams in Porto, Benfica, Sporting and to an extent Braga, but Italy have Milan, Inter, Juventus, Roma, Napoli, Lazio and Udinese. Serie A is much more difficult and competitive than the Portuguese Liga, although the quality has decreased substantially compared to ten years ago.

This post has been edited by X-Offender: Sep 20 2012, 04:29 PM

Agreed. Never mind coefficients. Just look at the mid-table or lower clubs. Incomparable.

Well it depends what your agenda is.

If you wish to judge a league by its performances and co-efficients in the various European competitions, in the past 5 years Portugal have been just as strong if not more so than Italy.

If on the other hand you're more interested in historical strength in depth and perceived quality throughout the league then you'd give it to Italy.

Because neither league is particularly attractive to the top, top players these days so it's certainly not based on the allure to the best players of either league.

Just as an aside, if you're using the argument about the strength of the league's competition, then there's a very strong case to say Portugal's has gone up in the past decade while Italy's has gone down. My most generous concession here would be that a combination of the above 2 arguments would suggest a parity between the leagues.

One does better in Europe these days while the other has more strength in depth in its domestic competition.

What one matters more?

Excellent points, Danny. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/smile.gif) And while I'll always choose the Italian Serie A, based on on scentimental reasons, Portugal's football league is (and has been for some time now) on the way up.

The PSG machine finally starting to work, it seems. 4-0 to Bastia, twice Zlatan.

Ahh, you guys will never learn. Wasn't it obvious? Rough start, then turn one speed ahead, then get into the Christmas win streak then hold on and reach zenith. That's always Carlo's plan.

3 out of 6 is still bad. Likely be 6 points off top by the end of the weekend too.

You are talking like he won tons of league titles with some plan. Only 2 league titles in his career and yes, I know all the excuses.

Chelsea as well (IMG:style_emoticons/default/wink.gif)