Introducing the most frustrating player in European football

Zlatan Ibrahimovic: the Swedish striker, of Bosnian descent, is one of Europe’s most decorated players. He’s been named Serie A’s player of the year three times (2008, 2009, 2011), Serie A’s foreign footballer of the year four times (2005, 2008, 2009, 2011) and Swedish footballer of the year a record six times (2005, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011).

In addition to his personal awards, he has a truly incredible and unique collection of league winners’ medals.

Ibrahimovic has won his club’s respective league title every year for the last nine years. In 2002 he lifted his first of two consecutive Eredivisie titles with Ajax. In 2005 and 2006 he was part of the controversial Juventus teams that won two Serie A titles on the bounce under Fabio Capello (although both were later revoked due to Juventus’ prominent role in the Calciopoli scandal). When Juventus were forcibly relegated for their part in the match-fixing scandal, Ibrahimovic, along with many of Juve’s star names left the Old Lady, with Zlatan opting to sign for the club he supported as a boy, Inter. At Inter he once again drank champagne from the Scudetto. Whilst at Inter they were kings of Italy for three years in a row. Even when he left his Italian comfort zone to test himself at European Champions Barcelona he continued his unbelievable winning streak, lifting the La Liga title in his only season at the Camp Nou. Last season he received his 9^th consecutive league winner’s medal as a member of the triumphant AC Milan side.

His record of nine consecutive league winner’s medals with five separate European clubs is unrivalled by anybody in the history of the sport.

It’s no surprise when you look at his statistics that he’s adored in Italy where he’s scored on average one goal every two games. Many Italians regard him as one of the best players in the world, and can’t understand why he isn’t being considered more seriously for international awards such as the Ballon d’Or.

Now that I’ve told you of his overflowing trophy cabinet you too might now be asking yourself why he isn’t given the same recognition as players such as Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo?

The reason is that there are two Zlatan Ibrahimovics.

One is the skilful, powerful, majestic goal-scorer that’s scored 109 goals in 206 in Serie A games for Juventus, Inter and Milan. The other’s a bungling, clumsy, selfish, lazy-looking, pony-tailed lump that plays outside of Italian domestic competitions.

For many non-Italians who only see Ibrahimovic in Champions League games and when he plays for his country at International tournaments, the rave reviews from Italy are confusing to say the least.

The events of the last two games are an excellent reflection of Ibrahimovic’s split personality. On Saturday Ibrahimovic scored an excellent hat-trick as Milan thrashed Palermo 4-0 in Sicily. The Swede performed brilliantly, and all three goals were finished with class and poise.

Last night, against Arsenal in the Champions League he looked like a completely different player. He was awkward and sluggish. He had the control of a rhino and the movement of a drunkard. His passing was shambolic and he continuously gave the ball away. His shooting seemed to lack any effort, particularly from free-kicks and despite his huge 6ft 5in frame, he was brushed off the ball with relative ease by the much smaller Arsenal defenders.

This isn’t an uncommon sight for regular viewers of the Champions League. Time after time Ibrahimovic’s failed to turn up for European nights.

 It’s not only in the Champions League that Ibra’s regularly left fans of the beautiful game disappointed. In his native, Sweden, he’s been a constant let-down. 29 goals in 75 internationals doesn’t represent a good return when you compare it to his club form. At major tournaments he’s promised much but delivered very little and in 2008 he scored against Greece to end an amazing two year international goal drought. In 2010 he was made national team captain in an effort to energise the lacklustre striker, and the push seems to have had a degree of success, with Ibrahimovic scoring a hat-trick in a qualifier after coming off the bench against Finland.

Ibrahimovic will always be judged by his unsuccessful and expensive spell at Barcelona. In an attempt to keep up with Real Madrid’s spending, Barcelona paid the equivalent of 70 million euro for Serie A’s Swedish goal-machine. Though his scoring record wasn’t shoddy (16 goals) he made just 29 appearances for the Blaugrana in his only season in Spain. His lazy façade and his over-casual style of play won very few fans in Cataluña and he was shipped back to Milan for a cut-price 24 million euro. He was a monumental failure and his inability to settle in Barcelona will forever stain the reputation of Ibrahimovic.

Ibrahimovic remains a strange enigma; brilliant wherever he’s played in Italy, terrible in all other competitions.

His inability to perform outside of Serie A has frustrated plenty of football fans who’d love to see him replicate his Serie A form on the international and European stage.

Many theories have been offered as to why he’s frustrated football fans so much. Some claim the difference in styles between Serie A and the rest of Europe means he’s unable to have an impact in other competitions. Some claim the criticism of his performances in other competitions has had an irreversible effect on his confidence, and that’s why he’s not showed up for so many big games.

Whatever the reason, Zlatan Ibrahimovic can never be considered one of the best players in the world due to the fact that he’s never managed to live up to his Italian billing in other competitions.

Zlatan may have nine league titles out of nine, but his failure to shine in the Champions League, La Liga and for Sweden means he will always be considered somewhat of an underachiever.

Liverpool FC show complete lack of class

I have always considered Liverpool to be one of the classiest clubs in Europe. Their history, traditions and spirit makes Liverpool FC one of the most recognisable names in football. The club has always tended to act in a dignified manner with an air of sophistication. When the club’s name was soiled by hooliganism and crowd disasters during the 1980s, the club managed to hold on to much of its respect. In the chilling aftermath of the Hillsborough disaster, fans came together and showed staggering solidarity that typified what the club meant to the city, and highlighted the sense of community amongst the club’s followers. Bar the 2005 Champions League and a few cup successes, the Premier League era has been a baron one for this great football club, however it’s a fair reflection of Liverpool’s class that it still attracts huge levels of international support. Today, “You’ll Never Walk Alone” is passionately sung by the famous Kop end before every kick-off, and is in my opinion the most beautiful song in football.

My admiration for Liverpool FC and its fans is enormous, however this season their glorious reputation has been greatly tainted by the Suarez Affair.

Yesterday the club accepted the guilty verdict against Luis Suarez for "abusive and/or insulting words and/or behaviour contrary to FA rules" along with the fine and 8 match ban that accompanied the verdict. The Suarez saga dates back to an October clash with Manchester United, and has been poorly dealt with by the Merseysiders ever since.

It all started with an accusation from United full-back Patrice Evra that the Uruguayan had repeatedly commented derogatively on the colour of his skin, with Evra claiming that Suarez used the word “negro” or a variant of the word, five times. Several times during the 1-1 draw at Anfield on October 15^th, the pair were seen squaring up and arguing. The only witness that said they heard any kind of racist language was Evra himself.

However upon learning of Evra’s accusation, the FA opened an inquiry and charged Suarez. This was where Liverpool FC began their slippery slide towards shame.

In an interview Dalglish confirmed that they were unsurprisingly supporting Suarez, but then incredibly pointed the finger at Evra. He accused the Frenchman of lying and then demanded that he apologise. A very serious accusation had been made against Suarez, and though it was understandable that Dalglish wished to emphasise his support of his player, it was deeply unwise to further increase the tension by making such a brash statement. It was a reckless comment by Dalglish at a time when everybody should have been looking to return to normality and leave the issue in the hands of the FA.

Dalglish’s comments were daft, but the Liverpool supporters made the same mistake and left themselves very open to criticism by printing t-shirts saying “Evra is a liar” in November. Facebook groups began appearing labelling Evra a liar amongst other things. Much like Dalglish, the intention was to show support for Luis Suarez, but it was made in a very unsavoury way. Put simply, they were accusing the accuser, when nobody but the two involved had much of an idea about what had actually happened. It was a dangerous step to take.

Whilst Liverpool were stirring a bubbling pot, Manchester United made very few comments on the issue, and left it to the investigators. Even before the hearing had begun, it was obvious which club had taken the correct stance.

On 20^th December the FA found Suarez guilty and handed the striker a £40,000 fine and an eight match ban.

Dalglish claimed they would await the official verdict before making any comment, but the Liverpool players showed a deplorable lack of class by donning t-shirts prior to their fixture at Wigan, with an image of Suarez on the front, claiming that they were supporting him. Suarez had just been found guilty of using racist language, one of the most serious crimes in modern football. They were openly showing their support for a racist.

The verdict was released and it seemed to show that there was adequate reasoning behind the decision, and that the evidence backed up Evra, but not Suarez. Evra was deemed a credible and trustworthy witness, whilst Suarez’s testimony wasn’t consistent with video evidence. Liverpool sent manager Dalglish, Director of Football, Comolli and player Dirk Kuyt to the hearing to give evidence in support of Suarez, but they all gave evidence that contradicted what Suarez had said, and to a large extent supported Evra’s accusation.

There was no longer any doubt that Suarez was guilty, and that he had used racist language.

Yesterday saw the final undignified move from Liverpool. Before their game against Manchester City, Liverpool announced in a petty, unapologetic statement that they would not be appealing against Suarez’s punishment, however that they also stood by their previous comments and refused to apologise.

English football has worked tirelessly in pursuit of the total eradication of racism from English football. Out of the blue racism once again reared its ugly head. The affair was dealt with in a very mature, efficient and extremely serious fashion by everybody in English football, apart from everybody at Liverpool FC.

Liverpool’s treatment of the accusation and verdict was childish, nonsensible and unapologetic. This was an extremely serious case, and Liverpool refused to treat it with the seriousness it required.

Everybody associated with Liverpool FC should hang their heads in shame. The behaviour of players, staff and fans has disgraced a great club. The lack of apology is quite frankly disgusting and sends the wrong message to outsiders. It’s tainted the image of both Liverpool FC and the sport of football. 

Messi, Ronaldo or Xavi?

It’s awards season in the football world and the shortlist for the biggest award of all has been announced. Lionel Messi, Cristiano Ronaldo and Xavi are the three footballers battling for the coveted Ballon d’Or.

Last year the shortlist caused controversy because all three nominees (Messi, Xavi and Iniesta) were from FC Barcelona. This year sees a slightly more inclusive list with Iniesta being replaced by former winner, Cristiano Ronaldo of Real Madrid, however once again all three nominees are based in Spain. This move has unsurprisingly drawn the odd compulsory complaint from English and Italian representatives, slightly annoyed that their leagues aren’t represented on the shortlist. But the vast majority of observers are in agreement that the three best footballers in the world over the past twelve months were Messi, Ronaldo and Xavi.

Some are arguing that the shortlist proves that La Liga is the best league in the world. Whilst there’s no doubt that the nominations prove that La Liga has the world’s best players, it certainly doesn’t prove that it’s the best league. After all, the three nominees play for either Real Madrid or Barcelona. In the extended shortlist, released on 1^st November the only Spanish clubs represented were Real Madrid and Barcelona (although Kun Aguero and Diego Forlan played for Atletico Madrid before their summer moves).

Now that I’ve dismissed that argument, I’d like to concentrate on the nominees by assessing their performances and experiences over the past 12 months.

Xavi

I might as well start with the underdog. This is the third year in a row that the Catalan midfielder has made the shortlist. I’m a huge Xavi fan. There isn’t a more elegant, intricate passer of the ball in the world at the moment, and it’s possible that there never has been. In any other era Xavi would have won at least one Ballon d’Or. He combines outstanding skill and ability with the vision of a kestrel. His intelligence puts him in a different category to most players.

Many argue that Xavi is Barcelona’s most important player. His passing and game-control has been key to Barca’s successful 2011.

He began 2011 by breaking Barcelona’s all-time appearance record, previously held by Migueli. Xavi’s consistency alone is enough to justify his nomination. One of world football’s most consistent performers, it’s unknown when the pint-sized playmaker last had a bad game. He has captained Barca many times in the absence of Puyol, and has led my example. The team have found the going tough at times away from home so far this season, but Xavi has been a driving force, not least when he curled a great free-kick into the top corner to clinch victory in Granada.

His big moment of 2011 came in the Champions League final in Wembley. Xavi alone was more stylish, composed and creative than Man Utd’s entire midfield. He was a major reason why Barca managed to retain over 70% of the possession. He was also instrumental in last season’s bruising encounters with arch-rivals Real Madrid.

Xavi ends 2011 a Spanish, European and World Champion. He has achieved pretty much everything in the game apart from the Ballon d’Or. Will 2011 be his year?

Messi

The Barcelona and Argentina winger aims to emulate UEFA President Michel Platini in winning a third consecutive Ballon d’Or. The Frenchman is the only player in the 56 year history of the award to have won it three times in a row, but Messi has a great opportunity in 2011 to add to his 2009 and 2010 trophies.

Messi has had another superb year. His quick feet and goals have entertained us all and despite being surrounded by stars Messi’s always managed to stand out. Aged just 24, Messi has won everything there is to win at club level. He is just 29 goals away from breaking Barcelona’s all-time scoring record. Many of those goals have come in the last 12 months, including some pretty special ones. Despite scoring in the Champions League final in May his two most memorable strikes came in earlier rounds. In the semi-final against Real Madrid, Mourinho’s negativity had stifled Barcelona in what was a turgid affair in the Spanish capital. Messi took the bull by the horns and sped through the Real defence like a hare before finishing neatly past Iker Casillas. His other unforgettable goal came in Arsenal’s last 16 demolition of Arsenal at the Camp Nou when he latched onto an Iniesta through-ball and with glorious speed of thought, chipped the ball over the head of the unsuspecting Wojciech Szczesny. With the Arsenal keeper still wondering what had happened, Messi volleyed the ball into the empty net from close range. It was a piece of skill that typifies Messi’s genius, and it’s one of the nominees for FIFA’s goal of the year competition.

Like Xavi he’s achieved everything at domestic level. But could his disappointing Copa America hold him back when the voting takes place?

Ronaldo

Just over a year ago Cristiano Ronaldo was taught a lesson by Barcelona when he was marginalised in an incredible 5-0 El Clasico thrashing. If there’s one man in world football that hates being out-played it’s Ronaldo. The Portuguese winger began a personal mission to better himself, and boy has it worked.

Last season Ronaldo scored the only goal as Real Madrid beat Barcelona in the Copa del Rey final; the only competition in the 2010/11 season where Real beat Barca. Ronaldo’s biggest achievement in 2011 was winning the Pichichi, scoring an astounding 41 league goals, finishing above Messi in the scoring charts. Ronaldo’s goal-scoring in 2011 has been phenomenal, but his other physical attributes have been the subject of intense study. In the show “Ronaldo: Tested to the Limit” experts analysed Ronaldo’s fitness and technique and drew the conclusion that he was one of the most perfect athletes in world sport.

This season he’s managed to continue his incredible scoring run (17 goals so far in La Liga), whilst contributing far more in the way of assists and, more importantly, defensive effort. He has been on red hot form throughout 2011, and will be looking at Saturday’s El Clasico as a golden opportunity to prove himself the best player on Earth.

Ronaldo has also performed exceptionally for Portugal, at times being the difference between victory and defeat. He was instrumental in Portugal’s emphatic triumph against Bosnia in Lisbon.

I believe that in the first half of the 2011/12 season Ronaldo’s been the world’s best player, outshining even Messi and Xavi. However the winner is judged on his performance throughout 2011. Ronaldo might have been sensational for Real last season but he was consistently outdone in El Clasico matches in the league and Europe. Could those games count against Ronaldo in the final voting.

Verdict

Lionel Messi is the favourite for the prize, having won it in 2009 and 2010. However I have a sneaky suspicion that Ronaldo could clinch it. Statistically Ronaldo has been better than Messi over the last year. More importantly Ronaldo’s been better than his Argentinian rival so far this season. In previous years the voting has tended to be based very heavily on the events of the summer and the autumn of the year. Over the summer Ronaldo worked hard on his game, whilst Messi had a below-par Copa America in his homeland. Since the summer Ronaldo’s been more consistent than Messi and has bulldozed nearly every single opponent he’s faced.

Despite his consistent, technically brilliant performances, Xavi doesn’t possess the same wow-factor as Messi and Ronaldo. Rightly or wrongly, the voters will probably overlook his intelligent passing and playmaking in favour of Messi and Ronaldo’s unpredictability and spontaneity

There’s very little between Messi and Ronaldo. Messi has the medals but Ronaldo is statistically superior (though not by much). Whoever wins there’s sure to be controversy and disagreement. Whatever the result, the great rivalry between Messi and Ronaldo is sure to continue into 2012 and beyond.

Juventus and Lazio, back at the top of the tree

This week-end sees Juventus travel to Rome for a 1^st versus 2^nd clash with Lazio. Juve are above Lazio only on goal-difference going into the match (although Juventus have a game in hand).  It’s a very interesting match between two big clubs who haven’t seen much success in recent years.

The 2006 Calciopoli (or the Italian refereeing scandal to you and me) hit Juventus hard. The club from Turin were found guilty of bribing Serie A referees and as a result they were stripped of their 2005 and 2006 titles and relegated to Serie B with a 9 point deduction. The club lost many of its key players, such as Gianluca Zambrotta, Patrick Vieira, Zlatan Ibrahimovic and the FIFAWorld Player of the Year, 2006, Italian World Cup winning captain, Fabio Canovaro. They won promotion at the first attempt, but since regaining their cherished Serie A status, they’ve struggled to challenge for the title; finishing in 2^nd and 3^rd spot, but always quite far behind the champions. Last year they finished the season in 7^th, 27 points behind champions Inter.

For Lazio, it’s been a far longer struggle. The Eagles haven’t won Serie A since 2000, when a side containing Pavel Nedved, Alessandro Nesta, Roberto Mancini, Sinisa Mihajlovic, Juan Sebastien Veron and Dejan Stankovic, managed by Swede Sven Goran Eriksson, pipped Juventus to the title on the final day of the season. Eriksson left and so did all the club’s star names, and with them went the success. Lazio have consistently finished outside the Champions League spots since 2001, whilst their bitter rivals Roma enjoyed the spoils of Champions League football.

This summer the two clubs had had enough and decided to splash the cash.

Lazio spent €25m on players, with the view to strengthening all areas of the pitch. €5.2m was spent on Italian international keeper Federico Marchetti, who’s impressed since his move from Cagliari. Their unreliable defence was sured up with the acquisitions of Stankevicius, Konko and Lulic. Lazio also needed strikers, particularly after letting star player Mauro Zarate go on loan to Inter. So they spent big on former Liverpool striker Djibril Cissé and picked up Miroslav Klose, one of Europe’s deadliest finishers over the past 10 years, on a free.

If Lazio’s spending was impressive, Juventus’ was staggering. The Turin outfit wanted a team that would look the part in their impressive new stadium. The Old Lady flashed the cash and spent over €85m on players. Eljero Elja, Andrea Pirlo, Stephen Lichsteiner, Fabio Quagliarella, Simone Pepe, Arturo Vidal and Mirko Vucinic, to name but a few. Such was the ambition shown by Juventus that they were even being linked with Kun Aguero and Javier Pastore. Juventus fans have always felt that their rightful place is at the top of the tree, and with these signings they thought they could once again be Kings of Italy.

So far the €85m gamble is paying off. Juve are unbeaten this season and leading the pack.

Manager Antonio Conti has helped reinvigorate the club. The Juventus legend was praised last season for leading Siena to promotion from Serie B, and now he’s got Juventus playing an elegant brand of attacking football. One of the keys to Juventus’ success has been the work of Andrea Pirlo and Claudio Marchisio. The two co-operate beautifully on the pitch to provide the players around them with an abundance of chances. Last season questions were being asked of Pirlo, now 32 years old, but he’s hit back since his move to Turin, and has been one of the stars of Serie A this season. With stylish Montenegran Mirko Vucinic tormenting full-backs on the left wing, and Pepe cutting in from the right wing, they have genuine goal-scoring threat from the wide positions.

Lazio’s style of play has been slightly different. Experienced manager Edoardo Reja has got Lazio organised. They play a high-energy game, built to get 1-0 or 2-1 victories. They don’t like getting stretched, but stay compact throughout the 90 minutes. The majority of their goals come from crosses into the box. Much like Pirlo, Miroslav Klose was the subject of much scrutiny last year as he scored just one league goal for Bayern Munich. However the German’s finishing is back to normal in the Italian capital; Klose’s netted 6 goals in 10 league appearances. Lazio’s most influential player isn’t a new boy. Brazilian midfielder Hernanes has been outstanding so far this season. His skill, flare and attacking style of play makes him a deadly weapon for Lazio. This squad’s also unified, as was demonstrated when they beat city-rivals Roma 2-1, then celebrated as though they’d just won the title.

There’s clearly a genuine feel-good factor at both clubs, which one would presume has contributed hugely to their early success this term.

Saturday promises a tactical battle between two confident teams. Despite Lazio’s strong, determined start to the season, I see Juventus leaving the Eternal City with all three points. Their cutting-edge and creativity should prove decisive against a Lazio team that have picked up more points away from home than they have at the Stadio Olympico this season. It promises to be a great game.

Why we need to appreciate our Lower Leagues!

I love lower league football, and I’m not ashamed of it. The thrills, spills and unpredictability of Europe’s lower leagues make them in many ways far more interesting than the plastic, commercial, and over-hyped premier leagues. Maybe it’s because I’ve spent most of my life supporting a lower league team (Swansea have given me the chance to watch football in four tiers of English football) but I think lower league football has far more to offer than attendances would suggest.

My opinions aren’t shared by most Europeans. The unglamorous, under-publicised and devalued lower leagues are certainly unappreciated in most European nations, including some of the largest. So why is it that some countries embrace the lower leagues more than others? And are the large countries where the lower leagues aren’t appreciated, likely to change their attitudes anytime soon?

England, more than any other European country, appreciates its lower leagues. In no other country does professionalism extend so far down the football league ladder. Professionalism is mandatory in the top four tiers of English football, and is now the norm in the fifth tier. This is down to the high attendances clubs draw as far down as the fourth tier (seven League 2 clubs averaged over 5,000 fans last season, including Bradford City who averaged 11,128).

In sharp contrast to most countries in Europe, English fans have always felt passionately about their local clubs. There exists a sense that the local club represents the local area. Whereas in other countries, clubs in the fourth tier tend to draw small crowds, who tend to view these clubs in the same way as I’d view the local Sunday league side, fourth tier teams in England ignite passions and excite fans as well as any Premier League teams. There’s no better example of this than League 2’s bottom side, Plymouth Argyle.

Plymouth have been in dire financial troubles, and last summer had to sell much of their squad in order to stay alive. This season they’ve managed just two wins, but they’re still averaging around 6,000 for every home game, and hundreds travel to every away game. The fans have come out in energetic support of their local club at a difficult time, and it looks like their actions have saved this club, which is clearly a huge part of the community.

Compare this to the story of RC Strasbourg. The Alsatian club was once one of the giants of French football. League champions in 1979, they were in the UEFA Cup as recently as 2006. However the club was relegated in 2008 to Ligue 2, the second tier of French football. Attendances dropped drastically, and the once great club found difficulty on and off the pitch. In 2010 they were relegated to National, the third tier of French football. The club faced huge financial troubles, and the 30,000 capacity Stade de la Meinau saw as few as 1,200 fans last season. When RCS dropped into the third tier, the local fans stopped caring to a large extent. I watched a few Racing matches in National, and it was spooky sitting in a large stadium, watching professional football with no more than a handful of true supporters.

Strasbourg’s last ever professional match was played behind closed doors due to the deteriorating situation at the club. It was a sad end for a great club. During the summer the club was liquidated and was reformed in the regional fifth tier.

Racing’s fans’ ambivalence towards the prospect of liquidation is a fair reflection of French fans’ attitudes towards lower league football. Last season Ligue 1’s average attendance was 19,742 (a disappointing figure itself), but Ligue 2’s average was less than a third of that. Four clubs in the second tier averaged less than 5,000. This is despite reasonable ticket prices and a large increase in national publicity for the league.

France’s case is hardly unique.

Earlier I mentioned English fans’ love of their local clubs. The same can’t be said of Spain, a country where the football culture is dominated by Real Madrid and Barcelona. It’s tough enough for the other La Liga sides to attract fans (last season eight clubs in the top division failed to average 20,000 fans). So you can imagine how hard it must be for clubs in the Liga Adelante to get fans. Apart from the Seville-based giants, and last year’s champions, Real Betis, no club managed an average attendance above 15,000. This contrasts sharply with England’s second tier, where 16 out of 24 clubs averaged more than 15,000.

As well as the powerful lure of Barca and Real, there’s one other factor which devalues the Spanish lower leagues immensely. The majority of Spanish fans see lower league clubs’ sole raison d’être as opposition for aspiring youngsters, playing for the big clubs’ B-teams. In Spain the lower leagues are infested with the B-teams of La Liga sides, and thus many in Spain view the lower leagues in the same way as English fans view the reserve league. It devalues the competition hugely, and makes a mockery of other clubs that compete alongside the mini-Messis. The situation was made more farcical when last year, the league introduced a promotion play-off, similar to the hugely successful ones held in England. The aim was to generate excitement at the end of the season, as the third to sixth placed teams battled each other out for the last remaining promotion spot. Due to Barcelona B finishing 3^rd, the play-offs were extended to include Valladolid, who finished 7^th.

Italy’s lower leagues are possibly in a worse state than Spain’s. For in Spain the standard of football played in the Liga Adelante is remarkably high, considering the disgraceful funding and attention it receives.

In Italy the situation’s desperate. Serie B is seen as nothing more than a punishment for Serie A clubs that bribe referees. Last season over half the league averaged less than 5,000 per game, and Portogruaro-Summaga averaged just 1,369. Much like in Spain, efforts to strengthen the image of Serie B have largely failed, due in part to the priority given to the revival of Serie A, which itself has seen turnout shrink.

Funding is in short supply in Italy. Football has been touched by the effects of the economic crisis that has ravaged Italy. In recent years many smaller clubs have been forced to either close or merge with other clubs to create more sustainable outfits, such as FC Neapolis-Frattese. The brand new, modern stadia that we see in England’s lower leagues contrast with the crumbling health-hazards seen in Italy’s equivalent. Lower league football in Italy is struggling.

It’s not all doom and gloom. Germany’s 2 Bundesliga is flourishing. The rise in the standard of play over the last ten years, coupled with low ticket prices and a welcoming atmosphere have helped make the 2 Bundesliga an entertaining and widely-followed league. Last season the Olympiastadion in Berlin contained 77,116 fans for the Berlin derby between Hertha Bsc and Union Berlin. This was the largest post-war attendance for a second-tier football match in Europe.

The standard of football on show in the 2 Bundesliga has certainly improved recently. Gone are the battles of attrition, here to stay are elegant passing teams. Sky in Germany have picked up on the popularity of lower league football and have devoted much air-time to 2 Bundesliga matches. Though average attendances in the league are lower than in England, it’s clear that Germans value their lower leagues. This is partly due to the large number traditional teams that play in the lower leagues. Many of the great teams of the 50s, 60s and 70s are now plying their trades in various lower leagues, for example, Rot-Weiß Essen, Fortuna Dusseldorf, Munich 1860 and Eintracht Frankfurt. Lower league football in Germany is in a far better state than in France, Spain or Italy.

A quick look at the second tiers in each of these countries and you spot large clubs. In France the likes of Nantes, Lens and now Monaco (who have failed to adapt since their relegation last year, and now find themselves bottom of Ligue 2) have all dropped into Ligue 2. In Italy 1992 Champions League finalists Sampdoria are playing catch-up in Serie B following their shock relegation last year. Last year’s incredible relegation also means Deportivo La Coruña are in the Liga Adelante this year.

Unfortunately these big clubs don’t draw the huge attendances one would expect. In some cases big teams get largely forgotten when they drop out of the top divisions.

It’s sad that the globalisation of European football has led to the neglect of the lower leagues, for here we find the real beauty of football. These clubs aren’t viewed by millions of people every week, in places like Singapore, Los Angeles and Tokyo. These players don’t get paid £200,000 a week. These fans aren’t prawn sandwich eaters. These are regular clubs, that are the cornerstones of communities, and they provide character to towns and cities across Western Europe. We must protect our lower leagues and attempt to strengthen them, in tandem with the growth of Europe’s Premier Leagues.