Juventus is a Big Club like Barcelona and Real Madrid- Llorente.

Fernando Llorente.
Fernando Llorente.

After signing a four-year deal with Serie A champions Juventus in January, Spanish striker Fernando Llorente Torres has compared the club with Barcelona and Real Madrid as he looks forward to life in Turin.

In an interview with Marca, the 28-year-old forward nicknamed El Rey Leon, meaning The Lion King in Spain told the Spanish media that he found it easy to agree to the move, because Juve is a club with a huge reputation in Europe.

“It’s one of the best teams in Europe and the best in Italy,” Llorente said. “I’m lucky to be able to play for a team like that. I’m really looking forward to entering a new phase.

Llorente was instrumental to the Bilbao side that reached the final of the Europa League in 2012, scoring against the likes of Manchester United and FC Schalke in the round-of-16 and quarter final.

The striker refused to sign a new deal with Bilbao in August 2012 and later agreed to move to the Italian giants on a free transfer on January 24, 2013.

“(I joined Juventus) because it has impressed me ever since it expressed an interest. It’s a really big club, comparable to Real and Barca. It’s as though I’ve always known it was my team.”

Meanwhile Llorente will not be part of coach Vicente del Bosque’s 25-man party for the Confederation Cup later this month in Brazil. The striker has capped 21 times for the Spanish national team and has scored seven goals.