During this time, the public connoisseurs of world football consider England with its Premier League is the highest competition that has always been the goal of footballers around the world to compete quality. Although, in fact, the owner of the most Champions League titles is in the hands of Real Madrid, the representative of Spain, but it’s not satisfied for great footballers not to taste the atmosphere of English football.
Without underestimating league competition in other European countries, however, the move of footballers from England to outside England was an event that produced a domino effect. Some think that going from England should go to the Spanish League, by joining Real Madrid or Barcelona. That’s where they will be able to enjoy a peak career period, both individually and collectively.
For example, Luis Suarez who resigned from Liverpool to Barcelona. The calculations turned out not to miss. Being able to win La Liga and the Champions League with Barcelona. One thing that is also felt by Cesc Fabregas who wants to feel the major degree at club level by joining Barcelona. The former Arsenal captain was finally able to feel the league title (La Liga) in the second season with the Blaugrana and won several titles in the previous season.
Interestingly, this also happened to Cristiano Ronaldo. The highlight of his career was even more brilliant with Real Madrid, even though he had begun to show great quality with Manchester United. In fact, he is a champion of the Champions League with two different clubs, Manchester United and Real Madrid. This stereotype is also reinforced by the success of Alexis Sanchez who moved from Udinese, the Serie A club, to Barcelona. Also Zlatan Ibrahimovic – from Inter Milan – who feels Barcelona is a guarantee for the Champions League champions – his big mission as a great player.
However, unfortunately his move to Barcelona made Inter Milan able to win the Champions League and feel the peak of its glory as the best Italian and European clubs. An achievement that is still a big homework for Juventus even though they have been able to dominate Serie A for more than 5 seasons. Although the two La Liga clubs are the goals of footballers to achieve success, especially collective success, but still the appeal of the Premier League is greater. This can be confirmed by the presence of many great players and filling the national team squad in all corners of the world who on average play in the English League.
From Sergio Aguero (Argentina) who did not lose his fierceness in the opponent’s penalty box when he moved from Atletico Madrid’s “striker academy” to Manchester City. Until the other big players like David De Gea (Spain’s main goalkeeper), Mohamed Salah (Egypt), Sadio Mane (Senegal), to Virgil van Dijk (Liverpool) who became the captain of the Dutch national team.
However, in the end all the players went through a club transfer cycle. Like Phillipe Coutinho from the Premier League to La Liga (Barcelona) and now testing quality at Bayern Munich (Bundesliga). Also Romelu Lukaku who finally left Manchester United to anchor to Inter Milan, also with other EPL players who chose to seek new experiences abroad, Queen Elizabeth.
That is also what Christian Eriksen did. The Danish national team player finally left Tottenham Hotspur after filling many headlines in the transfer market this winter. However, the decision to leave was not to Real Madrid, but to Inter Milan. Apart from the reasons for seeking new experiences. The choice to join Inter Milan is also because the AC Milan rival club is now trained by former Juventus and Chelsea, Antonio Conte. There are predictions, that thanks to Conte’s experience of training Chelsea and the Premier League champions, Eriksen feels confident that he will be able to achieve success with Conte and Inter.
However, on the other hand, Eriksen seemed to be throwing away his chance to succeed collectively with Real Madrid. Without understating La Beneamata, if traced historically in the last few seasons, El Real is the most successful club in Europe and the world. Successive Champions League titles have been inscribed and it is in harmony with his Club World Cup title. So, the opportunity to feel the titles that are difficult to achieve with Spurs can be wide open when joining Real Madrid.
This situation is also exacerbated by Antonio Conte’s track record, which is still difficult to win the Champions League trophy with Juventus – or Chelsea – though managed to deliver La Vecchia Signora to dominate Serie A. That means, Conte’s experience to win the championship competition with the best European clubs is still not optimal.
Apart from the presence of Cristiano Ronaldo at Real Madrid at the time, which the public later considered the quality of training Zinedine Zidane was still largely helped by CR7, still the chances of success for Zidane and Real Madrid were still quite large. Moreover, they also seem to be able to become final specialists – the final of the Spanish Super Cup 2020 in Saudi Arabia.
Or, this decision is a symbol of Eriksen’s decline in competitiveness with top assist players in the Premier League such as Kevin De Bruyne (Manchester City), Adama Traore and Raul Jimenez (Wolverhampton), as well as Maddison who is said to be a contested midfielder.
These questions and assumptions cannot be separated from stereotypes about Serie A which are considered not as strict as the English League. In fact, the players who are considered wasted from the Premier League actually become recalculated when playing in Serie A.
The proof is in Mohamed Salah who managed to come back to the Premier League with great capital with AS Roma after being thrown out of Chelsea. Then, there is Wojciech Szczesny who was sidelined by Arsenal because he was considered unable to become a formidable goalkeeper and had to be willingly shifted by veteran goalkeeper Petr Cech.
However, his career in Serie A rose again after digaet AS Roma, and increasingly seen success with Juventus after being able to replace Gianluigi Buffon as the number one goalkeeper in the proud club of the city of Turin.
This picture is made even clearer when Romelu Lukaku (Inter) and Chris Smalling (AS Roma) become the mainstay in their respective clubs after becoming monthly fans at the same club; Manchester United. Likewise with the return of Patrick Cutrone, who has failed to adapt to Wolves in the Premier League, even though he was previously considered wild in the opponent’s penalty box when he was wearing an AC Milan jersey.
This is what made the writer ask about Eriksen’s decision to go to Serie A, although on the other hand, the writer also agreed with his decision. Because, with Eriksen joining Inter Milan, the composition of the team became almost perfect. Considering they already have a goal-hungry attacking duo; Lukaku and Martinez. So, Eriksen’s presence will complement the greatness of the striker duet with his quality as a playmaker.
Thus, Eriksen’s close-up to Internazionale could serve as a warning signal to Juventus, that Inter are very serious about stopping the dominance of Juventus in Serie A.
ASL
