Fernando Llorente (19 Viewers)

MikeM

Footballing Hipster celebrating 4th place with Tuz
Sep 21, 2008
12,834
Llorente seems about as Spanish in playing style as Luca Toni. I wouldn't be worried.

It's not like he will start dribbling the ball and faint at the mere presence of the physical Italian defenses. He is a mountain himself.

There will be fewer "free" header opportunities in the box though. He better learn to throw people off him before he heads on goal.
 

only-juve

Senior Member
Jan 5, 2008
7,451
But really, how many Spanish players played in serie A in the past 20 years ? 4-5 players at most.

Hardly an indication that Spanish players can't make it here.

Thats reminds me of the argument from EPL fans who keep saying that serie A players can't make it there, even though one of the biggest talents ever to grace their league came from Italy (Gianfranco Zola). The whole argument is really lame.
 

JuveJay

Senior Signor
Moderator
Mar 6, 2007
74,927
But really, how many Spanish players played in serie A in the past 20 years ? 4-5 players at most.

Hardly an indication that Spanish players can't make it here.
Guillermo Amor – Fiorentina – 1998-00
Bojan Krkic – Roma, Milan – 2011-13
Borja Valero - Fiorentina - 2012-13
Arandes Toni Calvo - Parma - 2010-11
Chico - Genoa - 2010-11
José Ángel Crespo - Bologna - 2011-12
Iván de la Peña – Lazio – 1998-99, 2001–02
Roberto Delgado – Lazio – 2003-05
Alejandro Rodriguez De Miguel - Cesena - 2010-11
Dídac Vilà - Milan - 2010-11
Javier Farinós – Inter – 2000-04
Javier Garrido - Lazio - 2010-12
César Gómez – Roma – 1997-98
Josep Guardiola – Brescia, Roma – 2001-03
Iván Helguera – Roma – 1997-98
Luis Helguera – Udinese, Ancona – 2000-02, 2003–04
Óscar López – Lazio – 2004-05
José Ángel Valdés – Roma – 2011-12
Gaizka Mendieta – Lazio – 2001-02
José Mari – Milan – 1999-02
Fernando Marqués - Parma - 2010-12
Javi Moreno – Milan – 2001-02
Pedro Obiang - Sampdoria - 2010-11, 2012–13
Javier Portillo – Fiorentina – 2004-05
Martí Riverola - Bologna - 2012-13
Jaime Romero – Udinese, Bari – 2009-11
Victor Ruiz - Napoli - 2010-11
Diego Tristán – Livorno – 2007-08
Alberto Zapater – Genoa – 2009-10

That list tells you a few things; that actually Spanish players haven't done well in Serie A in the last 20 years. But that is mostly because very few were amongst the better Spanish players available at the time (Guardiola, de la Pena, Jose Mari, Mendieta being exceptions). There are a lot of stragglers there.

Also, Serie A was a stronger league than La Liga during the 90s and early 00s, so there is every chance those players would not step up to the standard. The attacking players were the biggest flops, and Spain's defences were not even close to that of Serie A in that time period.

Now La Liga is the stronger league, even if that may be amongst a small percentage at the top. Serie A doesn't have as many great defenders or great defences, but it'll be interesting to see how Llorente does. He's such an obvious target, I want to see how he handles the close attention.
 

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