Mad Brit Diary

Champions League is good, but it's not the World Cup.

(Friday, April 11, 2003) -- The Mad Brit doesn't agree with the Mad Scot, Sir Alex Ferguson, that the European Champions League is more exciting and better than the World Cup, even if it's getting pretty close. Just look at the team sheets or rosters.

One senses Ferguson is playing a little politics, and as we all know, he's good at that. But that was certainly an amazing game this week when Real Madrid downed Manchester United 3-1 in the first leg of the quarterfinals. The first half performance was some of the best soccer the Mad Brit has seen in recent times, even though he was weeping buckets over his hot tea for the Red Devils.

Some will say, the game proves the Spanish League -- La Liga -- is superior to the English Premier League. That debate will have to wait until we see how United does in its home game. Madrid's two-goal hero Raul Gonzalez was a revelation. The talented striker was calm under pressure and deadly in his execution. You have to wonder how he found the room to get those strikes in?

Raul could be the best player in the world at the moment. And Luis Figo's goal was just a beauty. On the other hand, United's David Beckham had a disappointing game. The maestro passer had few crosses and seemed to exiled on the flanks.

What's amazing about watching Real Madrid play is the perfect passing performed at such speed. There are so few mistakes and the attacking play is so smooth, it's almost like art. There's are few aimless long balls lobbed upfield, no wild kicks and few go-lucky crosses. The ball remains on the ground and is stroked around with finesse and precision. Someone wrote that Real looked like the Harlem Globetrotters of soccer.

The Mad Brit does get a little tired of Roberto Carlos taking the free kicks. It would be interesting to know what the Brazilian's conversion rate is. United's Ruud van Nistelrooy, had a good game, earned a precious goal and has now scored a record 11 record goals in the Champions League this season. Now United must face the Spanish giant without key players Gary Neville and Paul Scholes. But Madrid is not infallible and the goal it gave up may come back to haunt it.

United now needs a 2-0 win at Old Trafford. Can that be done? Maybe, but United often struggles against Spanish teams. United has now lost 14 of its 15 Euro visits to Spain. The Mad Brit is not sure of the home record, but 70,000 United fans behind Beckham and the boys might help.

Ronaldo, didn't have a great game and was latter substituted for, to whistles and boos. "Supporters are like a woman, they need to be conquered daily," Ronaldo told reporters after the game. "They know I can do better, and I hope to do better, but overall I am still happy with my performance."

The Brazilian World Cup winner did have his moments and Ronaldo is the last thing a defender wants to see bearing down on him with Raul, Figo and Zinedine Zidane in tow.

Forget the war in Iraq, it's the dreaded new virus called SARS that is doing a dirty on soccer. Everton of the Premier League canceled its tour of China because of an outbreak in the area of the deadly respiratory illness called severe acute respiratory syndrome, or SARS. The club was set to play May 23 and 25 in the southern Chinese city of Shenzhen and Hong Kong.

Aston Villa has also called off its tour of China and Hong Kong. More than 3,000 persons have been infected worldwide with SARS, most of them in mainland China and Hong Kong. The draw for this fall's Women's World Cup was postponed yesterday because of the illness.

The Asian Football Confederation decided last week to postpone the AFC Women's Championship that was scheduled to take place from April 17-30 in Thailand. The winner and the runnerup of the AFC championship qualify for the Women's World Cup and the third-place team enters a playoff with Mexico of CONCACAF, the region of North America, Central America and the Caribbean, for another Cup berth.

The question now is will the Women's World Cup be cancelled, too? Australia has volunteered to host the tournament should it be moved.

The pony-tailed, Buddhist footie-player is still scoring goals. Italian star Roberto Baggio is tied for sixth in the Serie A scoring charts with 10 goals for Brescia.

Shine defends the English Premier League: Reader "Knapp lives in a fool's paradise. Reality and facts will disturb his hypnotic view of Serie A and La Liga."

"I read the book, Brilliant Orange, and found it incredibly informative," writes Tim Zeedyk. "Though being American, I find the Dutch style of play to be one of the most innovative and exciting in use. Now, if only they could remain consistent. . . In regards to Knapp, he is a fool. Wayne Rooney is one of the most exciting young stars in the world.

Knapp says: "Celebrate mediocrity is the English credo. La Liga's players have proven time and time again in the last several years that they are easily a step above what the Premiership has to offer talent wise. If the huge hype machine working in England was in place in Spain, many of the names on Spanish teams that repeatedly are successful in Europe and La Liga year after year, would be Mega SuperStars in England.

El Tico says: "I must admit that Knapp does have a point! And you, Mr. Brit, are being guilty of it by replying Wayne Rooney!! I believe this is exactly what Knapp is talking about when he talks about English people being brainwashed. The English always think the solution lies on one player!! I recall when it was Michael Owen."

Glen Jesus Pereira responds: "Last week, someone blasted the Premier league as a far third. I agree that the league needs to improve, but I wouldn't say that it is a far third. Man. U. 3-0 Juve. Liverpool UEFA Cup Champs. Need I say more? I'd rank the EPL as one of the best leagues in the world."

Heard a rumor, have a gripe or a tip? Feeling lonely? E-mail the Mad Brit at themadbrit3@aol.com.