Arsenal not a ‘top club’? The Gunners and Fiorentina compared
Stevan Jovetic should only leave Fiorentina for a "top club", not Arsenal, according to the player's team-mate Luca Toni.
Montenegro international Jovetic is rumoured to be the Gunners' long-term transfer target, but has been , who World Cup-winning striker Toni believes would represent more of a step up from the Serie A club than Arsene Wenger's side. “If he has to leave, then make it for a real top club. Chelsea, Manchester City and Manchester United fit that bill, but Arsenal are not better than Fiorentina,” he said.
Does Toni have a good point? talkSPORT run the rule over the state of Arsenal and Fiorentina to find out…
Years since last trophy
Fiorentina: 12 years
Arsenal: Eight years
Top league scorers
Fiorentina: Stevan Jovetic, 12 goals
Arsenal: Santi Cazorla and Theo Walcott, 11 goals
Last league title
Fiorentina: 1969
Arsenal: 2004
Fiorentina's 2012/13 season so far
Like Arsenal, Fiorentina sit one place off Champions League qualification (only the top three qualify) and have had mixed fortunes against Serie A's top clubs. They have been unable to score against runaway leaders Juventus in two encounters, the first being a 0-0 home draw and the second a 2-0 defeat in Turin. It is a similar story against second placed Napoli, drawing at home and losing away in a match that saw Jovetic score a consolation in a 2-1 defeat. Fiorentina are just three points adrift of Milan, whom they beat 3-1 at the San Siro in November and it is the 18-time champions they face in their next home game on 7 April. It is not just the big guns Fiorentina have struggled against, either. At the start of 2013, the club lost their unbeaten home record when relegation-bound Pescara beat them 2-0.
Cup form:
Fiorentina were denied a place in the Coppa Italia semi finals by Roma's Mattia Destro, who scored the only goal of the game in extra-time in Florence. The last time the club were successful in the tournament was in 2001, when they saw off Parma 2-1 on aggregate to lift the trophy.
Arsenal's 2012/13 season so far…
At home Arsenal thrashed north London rivals Tottenham 5-2, but have lost to both Chelsea and Man City and have Premier League leaders United to come at the end of April. Away from the Emirates, Wenger's side picked up points at the Etihad, but lost 2-1 to Chelsea, Spurs and United, while they were also held to a goalless draw at struggling Aston Villa.
Cup form:
Arsenal have suffered embarrassing domestic cup exits to lower league opposition this season. In December they were dumped out of the League Cup by fourth tier side Bradford and, in February, Championship team Blackburn beat them 1-0 at the Emirates. The Gunners' last cup success came in 2005, when they beat Man United on penalties to claim the FA Cup for the 10th time.
Do you think Luca Toni has been harsh on Arsenal? Where do you think Jovetic – if he does move – will join?
Do you think Arsenal are a bigger club than Fiorentina? Have your say…