Champions league games out of the way final staging sorted teams qualify third place in Europa league the rest go home, don’t bet me wrong I’m far from being a Roma fan but I supported them against Manchester City. Why? Well if Roma would have qualified to the knockout stages it would be points in Italy’s favor, we need to get back in having 4 Italian teams in Europe.
Right now Italian teams are ranked as second tier teams but fast approaching third tier, in continuing as we are in about three to four seasons time we could actually only have two teams in the Champions League.
I hear you that’s not possible to many big clubs, yes there are many big clubs who have always done well. Done well is the operative word. Let me ask you all out there how well have the Italian clubs done in the last four seasons, last season in-spite of having to qualify for the group stages Milan did best as they were the only team to make the knockout stage as for Juventus and Napoli went into the Europa league, but having said that Milan went out immediately to Atletico Madrid (yes ok they winners of the C.L. so what), the previous season fared a little better Juventus and Milan went through the group stages whiles Udinese out in the qualifiers, but come the knock out stages Milan fell at the first hurdle against Barcelona whiles Juventus passed the first hurdle against Celtic but failed in the second hurdle against Bayern Munich (again the winners so what).
Season 11/12 three Italian teams made it through to the Knockout stages but once again bad news Napoli knocked out by Chelsea whiles Inter fell to the mighty Marseille whiles Milan saw off Arsenal but next round Milan came unstuck against Barcelona.
All hopes rest on Juve doing well this season as they are the only club to qualify. The semi-finals can save the Italian clubs further heartache winning the cup would guarantee two more season with two straight qualifiers teams and a play-off, who can replace an Italian team for that third place well don’t put it past them to put an extra team from the Eresvida (Dutch league) or even the Liga (French league).
The Italian teams have to start to do well in the Champions league and start doing it fast, like Juventus other teams who want success invest in local talent not just go out and buy mercenaries who are there to collect a wage but one don’t care about the club and second about Italian football, why can’t Italy take a leaf out of the Bundesliga where if you have a good look at least five German players play every team and every game and they are mostly local talent, this not helps the club and the National team to, (remember the last world cup dear friends) that should tell you something.
Well here’s hoping for Monday. FORZA JUVE dai ragazzi farcella per noi. (Come on boys do it for us).