Llorente targets Champions League success with Juventus

Fernando Llorente believes he is joining "the best team in Italy" in Juventus, and is confident they can mount a serious Champions League challenge in the future.



The Athletic Bilbao striker has signed an agreement to join the Serie A champions in the summer when his deal with the Liga side expires, and is hopeful of winning a number of trophies with Antonio Conte's side once he finally completes his protracted move.

"For me Athletic has been everything, my club for life, but I am going to the best team in Italy, to one of the best in Europe and the world. Triumphing at Juve is a dream, a great challenge for me," he told AS.

"I have had offers from many teams, but it is a very good project. Juve have strongly backed me from the first moment and I have been clear on that.

"I have always liked the competitive spirit of Italian teams; they are the best, and I think that they are the ideal team to try to win the Champions League.

"They’re a winning team, with the aim of winning many titles in the next few years. I see myself there and the future that awaits me excites me so much, and the method of playing that the team has, although I still don’t think about that because I am concentrating on Athletic."

Llorente has been left out Vicente del Bosque's latest Spain squad to face Uruguay this week, but is hoping to win back his place in the national team in time for the 2014 World Cup.

"It hurts me a lot (not being in the national team)," he added.

"For me it was very important to be there and at the moment I have missed out. I want to do things very well at Juve so that I can get back in the national squad ahead of the World Cup. That is my biggest challenge."

not sure if spain wants a big dude in their tiki taka, but then, more time for llorente to focus on juve

Eivindo wrote:not sure if spain wants a big dude in their tiki taka, but then, more time for llorente to focus on juve

tbh bro I am surprised by the ball control that Llorente has for such a tall guy I think he can really fit in

his desire and hunger to play and impress to get a call up to the National Team will make him do well for us I feel...

elmystique wrote:his desire and hunger to play and impress to get a call up to the National Team will make him do well for us I feel...

Well, we should hope that all of our players have desire and hunger to play without any other motivation than Juventus

Additionally, I guarantee he could have gotten the same money, if not more, from another club so I think that speaks volumes about the kind of player he wants to be for Juve

Guys, Llorente will never be an automatic starter for Espana no matter what he does. In his 20+ apps for Espana he has shown excellent ability and awareness and intelligence to nail himself as the starting #9/False 9 yet there is a reason why he won't.

-Vicente Del Bosque has succumbed to the political part of Espana's team. Llorente is best friend with a lot of the players yet his Euskadi Ultra ways leave a potential threat LFP's unison ambitions as Xabi may be the same but isn't anywhere near as outspoken as Llorente. Catalans? Its impossible to put down Puyol, Xaviesta etc plus they aren't as outspoken as well.

-Right now he hasn't been called up since Bielsa has benched him due to his outspoken nature of wanting to leave.

-Fernando Torres is VDB's goldenboy no matter how shit he is. Llorente is one who wants a role built around him as False 9 for Espana as VDB wants one who works the channels and doesn't want to much of the ball. Then there is David Villa who is our best striker of all time.

-More than half of Espana calls for him to be starting just like more than half ask to bench Arbeloa, Negredo and others scrubs like Alba who start. Fact is him not being called up in not a reflection of his worth.