Valdano: 'Juve are the Real deal'



Juventus' victory over Real Madrid - even without Diego - certainly impressed director Jorge Valdano. “They are a very well-constructed side.”

The Bianconeri beat the Spaniards 2-1 in the Peace Cup semi-final last week thanks to goals from Fabio Cannavaro and Hasan Salihamidzic, while Cristiano Ronaldo converted a penalty.

It was the third time in just over a year that Juve had conquered Real, having also defeated them twice in the Champions League last season.

“Juventus made an excellent impression on me,” director general Valdano told Tuttosport.

“They are very competitive, mix youth with experience, technique with physical strength, individual talent with team performance. They are a very well constructed side.

“Diego and Felipe Melo are two extremely important buys, because they have experience and are also still quite young. They are two top players.”

Real Madrid dominated the transfer market this summer with Xabi Alonso's arrival from Liverpool raising their expenditure to over £200m.

“We are Real and this implies enormous pressure,” continued Valdano. “This is why we felt the need to secure ourselves some mature players, but obviously not referring to their age.

“We needed players able to survive the pressure of the Bernabeu and of public opinion that is accustomed to being the best in Europe.”

Kaka, Cristiano Ronaldo and Karim Benzema are some of their other £30m plus expenditures, but Inter's Zlatan Ibrahimovic went to rivals Barcelona. Was there ever a battle to sign the Swede?

“No, we never thought of bringing in Ibrahimovic. I also read stories that Wesley Sneijder will be loaned to Inter, but I can rule that out. We would only be interested in a huge economic offer.”

Before Alonso was captured from Liverpool, Real Madrid had declared their interest in an Italian alternative, namely Udinese midfielder Gaetano D'Agostino.

“We had many options to choose from, but the priority was always Xabi.”

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He was talking to Tuttosport so take it with a pinch of salt but when you compared Juve to Madrid in that match we looked like a team whereas they looked like 11 players, and that is the challenge Pellegrini faces - to make a team.

I don't think there's any doubt that Juve are building nicely and steadily and keeping it low profile. A Serie A without a competitive Juve doesn't seem right and in Melo and Diego they have 2 buys who can definitely taken them forward

You're definitely right about them being "11 players". So many egos in there, Pellegrini faces a big challenge. It's made worse because under Perez team selection is dictated by marketing, so the coach wield no real power and therefore the players no they are undroppable no matter how they perform

A compliment from Valdano is surely a kiss of death. Juve to go down this season I guess.

God, he's a slimy looking b*****d.

Juventus always have this aura of greatness about them.

Melo will be the signing of the season

I agree, although for the price he has to do something special.

Moggi of course says he cost too much, but then he would. The fact is the market was inflated by Madrid and we had to pay his buyout clause, otherwise Fiorentina would never have sold him to us.

The board did a great job to get Diego in early or we would have been looking at more like €35m than €25m.

He started well but has gone to shit, mentally he looks pathetic.