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Athletic Bilbao turn down final Juventus offer for Llorente
Jan 19, 2013 8:15:00 AM
The Primera Division outfit have decided not to accept the Old Lady's final bid for the 27-year-old, who is now set to stay at San Mames until the end of the season
| Bet: | Returns: | Bilbao £14.44 | Draw £48.00 | Levante £80.00 |
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| Bet: | Returns: | Bilbao £14.40 | Draw £43.30 | Levante £70.00 |
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| Bet: | Returns: | Bilbao £14.44 | Draw £42.00 | Levante £70.00 |
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| Bet: | Returns: | Bilbao £14.40 | Draw £45.00 | Levante £70.00 |
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| Bet: | Returns: | Bilbao £14.40 | Draw £40.00 | Levante £85.00 |
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By Romeo Agresti
Athletic Bilbao have told Juventus that they have no intention to sell Fernando Llorente in the January transfer window, despite the Serie A side issuing them with an ultimatum, Goal.com understands.
The Bianconeri made a final offer of €4 million plus a €300,000 bonus if they successfully defend their Scudetto earlier this week, giving Athletic until Friday to make a decision.
The Basque side have opted not to accept the bid, though, meaning that the Spain international will stay put until his contract expires at the end of the season.
Juventus had earmarked the 27-year-old striker as the perfect addition to their attack this winter, but they will now have to wait until June to get their man.
Llorente will join the Serie A champions on a Bosman at the end of the season on a four-year deal worth €4m per annum after Juve agreed personal terms with the forward back in October.
The Spain international told Athletic at the start of the 2012-13 campaign that he did not want to extend his expiring deal, and has since been struggling for game time, scoring just once in 12 Liga games.
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Live!
Champions League final - LIVE!
German giants Bayern Munich and Borussia Dortmund will battle it out at Wembley for European glory. Get involved by sending us your thoughts via Twitter or Facebook! Hosted by Mark Doyle.
6:59 PM BST
Carlo is positively flying through your questions on Twitter, so still time to get in touch.
@Austeenite 2m: Who is the best defender in this season's UCL?
CG: We are living in an era where you can count on one hand the number of top quality defenders. In truth, very few stoppers impress me anymore. Thiago Silva is the best defender in the world, and was absolutely brilliant in the quarter final against Barcelona. But if there is one defender who has emerged this term it is probably Dante from Bayern. He has been a monster, and the ease with which he nullified the attacks of Juventus and Barcelona - even if the former is nothing to sing and dance about - was a head-turner. I'm looking forward to his battle with Lewandowski tonight.
@Austeenite 2m: Who is the best defender in this season's UCL?
CG: We are living in an era where you can count on one hand the number of top quality defenders. In truth, very few stoppers impress me anymore. Thiago Silva is the best defender in the world, and was absolutely brilliant in the quarter final against Barcelona. But if there is one defender who has emerged this term it is probably Dante from Bayern. He has been a monster, and the ease with which he nullified the attacks of Juventus and Barcelona - even if the former is nothing to sing and dance about - was a head-turner. I'm looking forward to his battle with Lewandowski tonight.
6:56 PM BST
More from our Q&A with Carlo Garganese:
@CazorlaAFC007: Are we looking at the best two teams in Europe?
CG: Certainly these have been the two best teams in Europe this season. They have proven that by progressing all the way to the final, and what is more they have defeated top quality opponents along the way. Bayern have smashed an outstanding Juventus side and the fabled Barcelona, while Dortmund qualified from a group containing the champions of Spain, England and Netherlands before seeing off a superb Shakhtar team and then Mourinho's Real Madrid again.
It takes more than one season to prove you are the best two teams in Europe though, and Dortmund will surely decline a touch when they lose Gotze and Lewandowski, but this season at least they have been the top two.
@CazorlaAFC007: Are we looking at the best two teams in Europe?
CG: Certainly these have been the two best teams in Europe this season. They have proven that by progressing all the way to the final, and what is more they have defeated top quality opponents along the way. Bayern have smashed an outstanding Juventus side and the fabled Barcelona, while Dortmund qualified from a group containing the champions of Spain, England and Netherlands before seeing off a superb Shakhtar team and then Mourinho's Real Madrid again.
It takes more than one season to prove you are the best two teams in Europe though, and Dortmund will surely decline a touch when they lose Gotze and Lewandowski, but this season at least they have been the top two.
6:53 PM BST
Carlo Garganese is in the house, so so keep your questions coming on Twitter, folks.
@SaryHishi: Can the Gotze injury determine the outcome in this match ? As in can the injury affect BVB that much ? #UCL
CG: Dortmund are significantly weakened by the injury to Gotze. The youngster is not only crucial offensively, but he also plays a key role in cutting the supply line from deep, as he did so brilliantly against Xabi Alonso when Dortmund played Madrid. Dortmund still have plenty of other weapons, but there is no doubt that they are a stronger side with Gotze in the team.
@SaryHishi: Can the Gotze injury determine the outcome in this match ? As in can the injury affect BVB that much ? #UCL
CG: Dortmund are significantly weakened by the injury to Gotze. The youngster is not only crucial offensively, but he also plays a key role in cutting the supply line from deep, as he did so brilliantly against Xabi Alonso when Dortmund played Madrid. Dortmund still have plenty of other weapons, but there is no doubt that they are a stronger side with Gotze in the team.
6:49 PM BST
Fair to say that our man Jay Jaffa is really savouring the atmosphere at Wembley right now:
"Just off Wembley Way I've found a Bayern 'area', if you can call it that. A mass of red-shirted fans are lapping up the last of the sunshine and having a sing-song. On the opposite side of Wembley, Dortmund have an official brass band smashing out A-Ha's 1985 classic 'Take On Me', while a group of insanely talented ball jugglers entertain the passers by. It's ramping up now, more folk are filling the walkways and it truly feels like the Champions League final. Not long now ... "
Couldn't agree more with Jay: the excitement really is building; and 'Take On Me' was indeed a classic. Indeed, if the 1980s gave us nothing else (and other than Arrigo Sacchi's wonderful Milan side, they didn't!), they did at least provide us with a pop song as brilliant as its video - a rare occurrence in the music world.
"Just off Wembley Way I've found a Bayern 'area', if you can call it that. A mass of red-shirted fans are lapping up the last of the sunshine and having a sing-song. On the opposite side of Wembley, Dortmund have an official brass band smashing out A-Ha's 1985 classic 'Take On Me', while a group of insanely talented ball jugglers entertain the passers by. It's ramping up now, more folk are filling the walkways and it truly feels like the Champions League final. Not long now ... "
Couldn't agree more with Jay: the excitement really is building; and 'Take On Me' was indeed a classic. Indeed, if the 1980s gave us nothing else (and other than Arrigo Sacchi's wonderful Milan side, they didn't!), they did at least provide us with a pop song as brilliant as its video - a rare occurrence in the music world.
6:40 PM BST
And now the Bayern line-up! The only small surprise here is that Jerome Boateng has been preferred to Daniel van Buyten alongside Dante at the heart of the defence. As expected, Mario Mandzukic has got the nod up front ahead of Mario Gomez.
Bayern Munich: Neuer; Lahm, Dante, Boateng, Alaba; Martinez, Schweinsteiger; Robben, Muller, Ribery; Mandzukic.
Bayern Munich: Neuer; Lahm, Dante, Boateng, Alaba; Martinez, Schweinsteiger; Robben, Muller, Ribery; Mandzukic.
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