The european super teams are shaking things up with their pocketbooks. These teams are jockeying to put themeselves into the hunt for league titles, as well as Champions League success. These teams either want to get into europe, or have better success in europe. You would think that a team like Real Madrid who are the defending Champions League champions, would be happy where they are. Think again, despite being 180 million dollars in debt, they have been the biggest spenders over the summer break. They are not happy just winning europe once, they want to win their domestic league La Liga as well as have continued success in Champions League. Despite having won the Champions League they recognized that they could still improve, so they stuck it to their biggest rival Barcelona by taking perhaps their best player in Luis Figo, an extremely gifted playmaker who has tremendous dribbling ability as well as wicked shot. They also went after other high profile players in talented Brazilian Flavio Conceicau, and Makele. The spending spree doesn't seem to be over, either, they have been hinting that they want young English superstar Michael Owen. Other teams making off-season moves: Manchester United added talented goalkeeper Fabian Barthaez to their roster, they were also after and had all but signed the most sought of striker in europe Rudd Van Neistleroy, the deal fell through when the dutch striker was injured. The aquisition of Barthaez should improve a very talented team which won the historic treble in 1999, we will have to wait and see if it will be enough though. Barcelona lost a coach and a great player in Figo, but they have managed to keep their other prized possesion Rivaldo, after losing Figo, they signed dutch winger Marc Overmars. Although they lost Figo they still maintain a talented group of players. Other signings of note, Paris St. Germaine went after and signed Nikolas Anelka from Real Madrid who pretty much just wanted to get some of their money back from a bad investment. AC Milan picked up Fernando Redondo, and Inter Milan got a young talented Irish striker Robbie Keane.
US National Team News
US MEN STUNNED BY REFEREE'S CALL
The US mens national team gave up late goals in both of their qualifying matches which cost them four important points. The US team had seemed to snatch a draw from defeat on the road, but in stoppage time Greg Berhalter seemed to clear a ball legally in the box, the referee obviously saw it differently and called him for a hand ball and awarded what I think was a gift game saving penalty to Costa Rica who ripped it home for the stoppage time win. Maybe I'm biased but I can't see how the ref made that call when Berhalter had his back facing the official. Needless to say the US team was incensed, especially team captain Claudio Reyna who showed me that he has a true passion for this team, and we can at least take that away from this game, I don't condone chasing referees but can you blame him, well I hope they have a better go at it in their next three games which are all at home and and are all very winnable...hope you enjoyed my soccer fan e-zine...please take the Real Football poll...please sign my guest book below and let me know what you think thanks, if you like the site recommend it thanks, also if you want any info on anything soccer click on the soccernet link below.
US MENS NATIONAL TEAM WC QUALIFYING:
AUGUST 16 VS. BARBADOS Foxboro Stadium...VS. GUATEMALA Washington DC... VS. BARBADOS San Jose CA.
...The US Men's National Team who is coming off a controversial defeat in Costa Rica, have to rebound and continue the long arduous journey of qualifying for the 2002 world cup which will be hosted jointly by Japan and Korea...The US will be trying to qualify for their fourth consecutive World Cup. Good luck USA!
www.soccernet.com
