[Danny]

Playing in the best league there is? (IMG:style_emoticons/default/huh.gif) At least in terms of tactics and tactical sense of the game.

I'd love to agree but Serie A is miles off being the best league in any context.

[Fillipo Simone]

I'd love to agree but Serie A is miles off being the best league in any context.

Tactical sense? Which one is? Or are above Serie A?

[acid911]

Is Serie A the best league? As far as rankings go, they aren't.

Who cares about rankings, man. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/unsure.gif) Numbers. Fudged up numbers. I mean, if you ask some people they'd say that the Spanish league is the best, or they'll put up the German one higher up (among the top two). Which they really aren't. They may be more entertaining, or on the up overall.

But it's been Serie A and then the EPL in terms of competitiveness and technique for quite some time. It's the modern game that has been skewed towards La Liga, and flash, so to say. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/sleep.gif) But as an honest, neutral fan, I'd never follow that one over the Italian one knowing just how loopy it is.

Almost like a video game, where for the top two teams, it's just about not losing points, instead of winning them. Unless the Serie A and the EPL follows the same flashy route, which I hope they never will, both will be up there at the top. At least for me, and a lot of others. I'd rather watch football games, not money talking.

That's not to say they have their own problems, Serie A having much more pressing issues to fix. And maybe they will someday, but it's still a strong league, and in some aspects the strongest.

In terms of tactics and tactical sense? I believe football has evolved from the 90s. Italian teams are not as qualified as they once were in the 90s. Our coaches have migrated to Spain, England, France, Russia etc and are sharing all those traits we used to have exclusively at Serie A.

Hard to disagree, but that's always been the case, really. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/smile.gif) Football is a global game, and in the future some other flashy league pops up, say in China, or football in the USA totally goes mainstream, the coaches and players will follow. I'm not saying the Italian teams are still the best, but they do provide a wholesome, tactical watch.

The game has evolved from the 90s, but some things are still the same.

But that is just my opinion

And I respect that. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/king.gif) Not that you're wrong, but there are many that watch and prefer watching the Italian league for the spectacle it provides. Many do at the expense of other leagues. Many of my friends in the UK watch it regularly. Besides, there still is hope that one day things will change. One can't forsake values.

There's a reason why Spain couldn't beat Italy for 80 odd years, and Germany has yet to.

I'd love to agree but Serie A is miles off being the best league in any context.

Well, they are in consistency. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/laugh.gif) As in most teams are at the same level, and that makes for some rather engrossing match ups. But anyway, at least Serie A has the pace thing going for it. The steady flow of the game sets it apart from all other leagues, you just kick back for the 90 minutes, grab something to eat and relax.

I guess, we should not equate our performances with the league, because AC Milan as a club has been run pretty bad these past few years. The Italian game, though, is still entertaining. Mid table teams put up a good show, and even those below can spring up surprises rather regularly.

Can you say that it's because things are bad in terms of finances and all that? Yeah. But there's also that element of tactics, which means fewer 5-0 scores or even the 1-0 and defend we see in EPL ever so often. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/dry.gif) It's just this value that sets it apart, and endears it, at least to me. You too, I'm sure, and many other members here.

Serie A is not mainstream, I'll give you that. It's not been since the rise of the English league since 2000s.

Tactical sense? Which one is? Or are above Serie A?

None, in my opinion. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/graduated.gif) Maybe there is some other league in some far off country that emphasis more on tactics and technique, but never gets the focus in terms of media, and that I don't know of, but if you're talking about core concepts of the game, I am yet to see any that matches the Italian league.

[Danny]

Tactical sense? Which one is? Or are above Serie A?

I don't think any league is especially good tactically. Football these days mostly relies on individuals being brilliant or individuals making errors.

The only tactical master of the game who still gets it right more than wrong is Mourinho. But EPL is far from being sharp tactically. LVG can't make head or tails of Man Utd, and while Pep is starting to get it right with Bayern, outside them Germany is actually a very open and blood and thunder league.

Serie A was the master in the Catenaccio days, but nowadays it's just football.

I remember when a team getting a Serie A in European competition filled them with fear because how good they were at being clinical and how hard they were to score against - now they barely blink and practically actively want a Serie A side.

Look at how Roma fared V Bayern. Embarrassing. Juve also only got through by the skin of their teeth.

[Rossoneri7]

Juventus vs BVB (IMG:style_emoticons/default/devil.gif) (IMG:style_emoticons/default/devil.gif)

Going to be a tough one, but just like Allegri's Milan gave Barca a run for their money .. Hope Allegri's Juve does more and does not concede in this fixture.

Italian football need Juventus to push hard in Europe.

[X-Offender]

It's going to be interesting. Looking forward to it.

[han2503]

BVB this season are hardly the Barca we faced under Allegri

Juve in reality should be able to win. Dortmund have been awful this season in the league, and Juve have a pretty great squad. The fact that they are big time chokers in Europe does not give me confidence for Italy's chances in Europe

[X-Offender]

Dortmund are in a good moment at the moment, though...

[Danny]

They've also been a much different animal in the UCL compared with the Bundesliga.

C'mon BVB.

[han2503]

But for me, Juve are still the stronger team and on paper they should be okay over the 2 games. But history has shown that they tend to struggle needlessly in Europe, especially away from home, and Allegri so far hasn't shown that he could change that going by the way they played their group

[Danny]

On paper Dortmund are superior. On the CL pitch they are too.

[Fillipo Simone]

On paper Dortmund are superior. On the CL pitch they are too.

On paper? How so?

[X-Offender]

Juve have a monster of a midfield. Granted, Vidal isn't exactly a trequartista, but he's still a quality midfielder. Defensively they're far better than Dortmund. So yeah, I don't see how on paper Dortmund are superior.

[han2503]

On paper Dortmund are superior. On the CL pitch they are too.

(IMG:style_emoticons/default/huh.gif)

I can't see how that's the case...

Juve's midfield is amazing, their attack not too shabby and a defensive line that is generally very solid.

Dortmund have some great players as well, but for me, Juve just trump them in some areas

On a side note, Reus is such an amazing player to watch, I wonder where he'll be playing next season...

[Fillipo Simone]

Chiellini brainfart. Typically Juventus.