In a surreal atmosphere, with no viewers, Inter won 2-0 against Chievo and this is Nerazzurri’s fifteenth consecutive wind. Real Madrid (46 years ago) and Bayern (in 2005, but not in the same season) have been equalized, but it’s not an European record yet.
Inter scored after 41”, with Adriano from a very difficult angle, then Chievo tried to make life difficult to Julio Cesar but in second half Crespo (with a suspect handball before kicking) scored for the final 2-0.

Roma won at home vs. Parma (3-0, all goals in second half), but we have to remark that before the match (an open door match, we have to specify) AS Roma fans did not participate in a silence minute in memory of policeman Raciti. There were also slogans against police, a shame one week after Catania events. And it’s been the proof that if the stadium is ok, but you fill it with stupid people, violence problem has not been solved.

AC Milan had to face a difficult test, Livorno is a very good team, even more today with Stefano Fiore and Cesar Rodriguez, two former Lazio players. Ronaldo played in second half, but the decisive goal has been scored by Czech left back Jankulosky. At the end, in Milan San Siro stadium season tickets could watch the match, showing that at the end Italians find compromise between “zero tolerance” and anarchy. Everything went well, and we think they will go well next Sunday for Inter-Cagliari.

All matches started at 3 pm, for security reasons, as we already said. But at the end not every match started on time: Messina-Catania, another risky Sicilian derby, started at 4pm due to heavy rainfalls. An important win in Palermo, and Empoli now is fourth and will have to fight against Milan and Lazio (0-0 in Bergamo behind closed doors vs. Atalanta) for the Champions League qualifying round. Fiorentina had a very good afternoon: Toni and Mutu could not play, but their substitutes Reginaldo and Pazzini scored: Fiorentina is officially one of the candidates for fourth place!

Ronaldo and Adriano Galliani at today's press conference

Here you have the second part of Ronie’s press conference (today at noon, CET). The Brazilian talked about many issues, and Galliani at the end said Capello suggested him to sing Ronaldo! “But he told me also some other things, not too fair, about him”, stated AC Milan CEO.
Let’s continue with the question time.

J: Did you hear Carlos Dunga recently?
R: No, I didn’t. But there’s no need to talk each other, what I will able to do on the playground will be the most important thing.

J: Do you know your partner Gilardino, and whe you think you’ll be ready to play?
R: I know him very well. It depends on the athletic trainer and on the coach, I haven’t played for one month, but test results are good.

J: Which are your objectives and AC Milan ones?
R: Unfortunately cannot play Champions League, I think our main objective is to be one of the top four in Serie A

J: Is “Copa America” one of your goals?
R: No, I mean, first goal is to do right here at Milan, then Dunga will call people that do right.

J: Was it more difficult to leave Milan five years ago, or Madrid now?
R: Well, it’s quite the same. Oh, my son will stay in Madrid, and even though we’ll meet when I have some free time, for this reason it’s harder now.

J: What did you miss of Italy? What do you think about Juventus in Serie B?
R: I missed a lot my friends. Don’t feel anything about Juventus (he laughs), I’m interested in AC Milan only.

J: Do you think there will be technical problems?
R: No, I felt in the club a very good mood as I hadn’t seen for many time, then I’ll try to do what Ancelotti asks me, in order to help AC Milan to hit its mark.

J: What happened between Fabio Capello and you?
R: It seems like a joke, but there were no problems between me and Capello. He just didn’t put faith in me, without explaining me why. And I didn’t ask him why. It’s a sad story.

J: Ten years after your first arrival in Milan, what changes in your person?
R: Well, I have been back for a couple of days, give me some more time, but I’m still the same Ronaldo and I have same enthusiasm.

J: A lot of things have been said about your weight.
R: I did all the tests, fat percentage in my body is in the average, the weight means nothing in a sportsman, fat percentage is more important.

J: Are there analogies with Rivaldo in 2002? Are you afraid to be unsuccessful as he was?
R: Past is past, I am sure I’ll go right, and Rivaldo himself was not so unsuccessful, that year Milan won Champions League.

J: Did Cassano express his will to follow you at AC Milan? Or maybe he’ll join Inter next June?
R: Cassano knows what to do, he is a good guy and a great player.

J: Did you choose AC Milan because of the presence of other Brazilian players?
R: AC Milan is one of the best clubs in the World, ant this is the only reason for my choice. Well, the fact that many other Brazilians are here makes me happy but I can see that nationality is not a critical point and everybody works to reach same goals (maybe he refers to the controversies between Argentineans and Brazilians at Inter)

J: After Milan-Parma, Mr. Berlusconi said he’s working to sign Ronaldinho, are you dreaming of a trio Kakà, Ronaldo and Ronaldinho?
R:I am a newcomer, it would be a lack of respect to my team mates, if I invited other players to join AC Milan. Of course, it would be great to have Ronaldinho

J: Are you ready to play next Sunday, if they ask you?
R: Let’s wait and see, I’m available but at the moment I had no training yet, here at Milan.

(end, part 1 here)

Challenge is the key word of first Ronaldo's press conference. The Brazilian said this word for many and many times during his first press conference today, noon CET, at Hotel Executive in Milan. More than 100 journalists, alongside of Ronaldo AC Milan CEO, Adriano Galliani. The manager starts the conference with a short statement: “Everybody knows who is Ronaldo, and this transfer has just technical reasons, in spite of the media impact of the player. We wanted him already in August, on day 24th we understood that there were no requirements, but we said goodbye, it wasn’t a farewell”

Then, the question time starts, here below some questions and answers.

J: The Arabs had a big mass of money for you, why did you choose Milan?
R: This is my life’s most important challenge, a sport challenge for which I refused a lot of money. I had offers from Saudi Arabia and from the US, I could stay in Madrid but I want to show againt to the whole world that I’m not over, I have a great enthusiasm.

J: Any doubt in choosing AC Milan, after your 5 years at Inter?
R: No doubts, I have had a beautiful history at Inter but now there’s a new challenge to face (again, we say) and I’m very happy, I have accepted immediately. There’s been some troubles in the negotiation, but since first Milan approach I decided to accept their offer.

J: You will see many changes here, what do you expect outside the ground, especially Inter fans?
R: Surely I’d like that people that were with me and now are on the other side of the barricades demonstrate respect for me. My history at Inter, again, was so beautiful, but it’s gone awry, I’ve been sent away, almost obliged by the coach (Cuper). I’m in Milan once again and I am very happy.

J: Did you think of Moratti and what he should have said?
R: No, everybody chooses his own road, I hope to do right for all these people that welcomed me in a very good way. I wish Moratti good luck, but I stay on my road.

J: A couple of weeks ago, Arrigo Sacchi in an interview said very bad words about you: “Ronaldo is a player that hates rules and don’t train as he should.
R: I have respect for rules, always trained and done what they told me to do. I don’t understand his statements but everybody is free to say what he wants. I have won a lot, nobody never gave me anything, I made it with a lot of sacrifices

J: A lot has been said and written, about the fact that you’re not like before and you don’t have enthusiasm
R: I have already said this, just being here is a big thrust, I refused many opportunities, but I want to show I’m still here, don’t matter about money

J: Materazzi invited Inter fans to go light with you
R: I’m not interested in what they think on the other side

J: Did you speak to Berlusconi? And what is your personal idea about Milan?
R: I talked to him, he gave me his warm welcome, I’m happy about this. Well, the game vs. Roma went wrong, but I’m sure things are getting better

When a top team has to sign many and many players in the January window, it means that something is going wrong during the season. Injuries, or bad results. This special transfer period hasn’t a long tradition in Italy, and we never had a club winning the Scudetto because of transfers in this period. We just remember three years ago, when Inter was fighting with Parma and Lazio for the qualifying round of Champions League, and in January signed best players of its opponents, Adriano (Parma) and Stankovic (Lazio). Of course, at the end Inter could go through with its fourth place.

Nobody who understands a little bit of football could think that without Sheva and with Oliveira replacing him, AC Milan could be stronger than before. When Galliani last summer said “at Christmas we’ll be overtaking Inter”, referring to the 8 points penalization, we thought it was an expedient to keep everybody in the club in high spirits. And nobody, neither Galliani himself, could believe his words.

That’s why now, after less than five months, and after Inter was not overtaken but it’s thirty points above, Galliani had to amend some mistakes. The best that he could do is having a revenge on his cousins by signing Ronaldo after a long shilly-shally about the price (it’s hard to understand for an old Ronaldo fan that Oddo was signed for more), and AC Milan has also to pay 112.000 euros to Inter, due to FIFA rule that gives money to clubs that contribute to player’s growing. Funny, isn’t it?

Palermo lost Amauri for a knee injury (his season has ended), so president Zamparini has just replaced him with another South-American, Edison Cavani of Danubio Montevideo. The 20 y.o. Uruguayan forward arrives one day later other forward Matusiak. Maybe Caracciolo will leave, with final destination Milan (red-black side). We will know in the next two hours.
Fiorentina has signed another 20 y.o. player, but a midfielder. Zradko Kuzmanovic from Swiss club FC Basel. That’s all, the rest of transfers could be good for someone to save from relegation or improve a couple of places in Serie A ranking. And it’s even normal that a club like Inter, which normally makes a lot of transfers, both inbound and outbound, this time lies in wait for next season’s transfers.

Some days ago we posted about Ronaldo and what his old fans were thinking about his arrival at AC Milan. Now –it’s an official news- Ronaldo is a Milan player, so we would like to know what Red and Black fans think. Best hypothesis is R9 will be unhelpful to Ancelotti, but some of them really have difficulty accepting the Brazilian Forward.

Bisax, a great fan of the Rossoneri and also a good writer, says: “Still think that there are very few people than can define themselves “Milan Fan” and at the same time exult for the arrival of the Madrid “Gordo”. For a lot of reasons. It comes to mind a “Rivaldo effect”, the Brazilian champion that came at the end of his career to hole up in Milan. Very good media deal, but insignificant on a football basis. And this is only one reason that brings Milan fan to refuse Ronaldo. It’s not for a comparison to Vieri, accepted (not welcome) to show Inter that we are able to “recycle” players they give up. No one deluded himself that Vieri could revive at Milan, no one marvelled when he left, no one misses him.
The main problem, I think, is following: Ronaldo IS Inter.
De facto Ronaldo was and still is, in any Milanist’s mind, an Inter player. In those years when he wore black and blue jersey he became every inch that club’s icon, its joys and sufferings. Ronaldo sobbing like a baby on May 5, 2002 IS Inter. This, a Milan fan cannot forget. And cannot forget Ronaldo is a traitor!
When he ran away during the night, looking for glory (he didn’y find) at Galacticos, he betrayed not only his fans, but also his opponents that hated him as we hate all dangers, but at the same time respected him. With that escape (different than Sheva’s one) Ronaldo lost all that respect.
That’s why I was so happy when I read the negotiation failed. That’s why I’ll have difficulty accepting him.”

Daw is a blogstar of the website “Il Cannocchiale” (more than one million visits) and he likes the idea of Ronaldo at Milan just in spite of Inter fans.
“Let’s talk turkey -he says- we have only one goal this season: the Champions League win. Red and black executives have just bought Ronaldo that won’t play in Champions League. What to do with him? His purchase has to be inserted in an extra sport field, it’s a sort of spite to our cousins Inter fans. As Italian league, once “the best league in the world” is having a break –all main teams not interested to Serie A, winner already determined last September and “Serie A Ltd.” value fallen over – the only satisfaction we have is to see Ronaldo the Phenomenon with red and black jersey. I’d say to Milan executives: next year, please, let’s come back to do things seriously, don’t be pranksters anymore”

Butirrometro is one of the Milan Blog Club entertainers: “Ronaldo would have been a good purchase only for free. Sign a player for 6 million Euros for an 18 months contract is not a good deal. It would make sense only if the contract would be longer or the player younger. It’s 6 million Euros you see vanish in 18 months.”

To finish, blogger “Rossonero di Vergogna” (Red and Black with Shame) is the one in the Milan Blog Club that would like a change in management ad say “Milan to Milan people”.
He put in his blog 10 ironic reasons why it’s good to see Ronaldo at Milan:

1) He’s Brazilian (well some years ago Galliani didn’t like Brazilian then he changed his mind) just like Kaka, Dida, etc.
2) He’s an over 30 as everybody at Milan, even newcomers
3) He’s not very professional and likes discos more than football as Inzaghi, Brocchi, etc.
4) He has already won
5) It’s a purchase done for mass media like Rivaldo, Redondo, etc.
6) He’s free of charge (not true, but who cares if AC Milan goes out of business?)
7) He’ll score in the derby like Bobone Vieri
8) He is making Moratti gnaw (oh, I think he’s laughing, fall guys!)
9) Because with Milan Lab he’ll be in a better shape like Crespo (the we’ll give it back to cousins)
10) Because in Brazil he’s named Ronaldinho. Well, we’ve signed Ronladinho too!

PS: it's amazing that, on arrival at Milan Airport, Ronaldo found his old Inter fans, and no Milan supporters...

Maybe Ronaldo will stay in Madrid, but in the last two days everybody speaks of his possible arrival at AC Milan. Today we've asked to some of the most famous bloggers, well known as Inter (former Ronaldo club) fans, their opinion on that.

Pietro is ironic: “IMHO, Ronaldo at AC Milan is a BIG problem, but only for the club in via Turati, as they will have to enlarge the doors at the training centre in Milanello. There, everything is custom-made. For Smoje or Steinar Nielsen, I mean. Milanello is good for Ronaldinho, Fernandinho or Fernanda Lessa, that’s why they signed Vieri. But Ronaldo no, he’s too large. After that, Galliani and Braida are enlarging all Milan Lab machines, especially after space insemination done by Borriello, pointed out by Catholic Church and the Vatican.
As Inter fans, we must be happy about this transfer, we love good playing and we’ll see a fantastic team with very fast strikers, assisted by Kaka’s class. Potentially the same great team we saw in Autumn 2006, hilarious and amusing. It’s clear that AC Milan and Inter Milan balance sheets have been artificially fed with fake revenue, but still weight less than Ronaldo. So, I wouldn’t worry too much, unless they get crazy and spend a lot of money, Berlusconi will put his normal line-up, made by desperate thirty-year-old men.

Satirical website Interistiorg owners just ask themselves: “Fatso at AC Milan: a question of hours. Where the hell are terrorists when we need them?”

Cavaliere is an old fan of the Brazilian star: “I think it could be a very good deal for AC Milan, it would make club’s technical rate better and also its possibility to score. Of course, Ronie would improve any team in the world, especially if he trains with method. I am an Inter fan but also a Ronaldo fan, so I have to say –unfortunately- that if I’ll watch him with our rival it will make me sad”

Iruben is distrustful: “As Inter fan I think that Ronaldo at AC Milan won't be interesting news. Inter is going so well that Ronaldo is just a far far far memory. AC Milan is going so bad that they need another striker. Unfortunately (for the rossoneri) big young names won't come to Serie A. Meanwhile Ronaldo (for what I read on newspapers) would like leaving Madrid. If the Brazilian is back to Milan (the town) I'll be just curious to check if he's ready to play (will he need to be trained?), especially when you think about the strong Italian defenders. It won't be easy, anyway.”

Last but not least, writer and blogstar Rudi has presented again an old post he wrote when Ronaldo was supposed to play for Inter in 1997. He had a lot of trouble sleeping because of some Inter’s defeats, that neither the Juve failure in Champions League final vs. Dortmund could heal. Then, Rudi says “Some days later, while cruising, in a flash I saw something with the corner of the eye that was like an electric shock to me. I turned back until the newsstand where there was a poster with a newspaper’s headlines. The dimension of the letters reduced the headline to a couple of words: Moratti and Ronaldo. Suddenly, the black and blue colour came back like nothing, full of a bright perspective: the arrival of a Brazilian star calle "The Phenomenon", with his way of laughing after scoring a goal, other newcomers with exotic names, a new coach born in Bologna province, AC Milan not qualifying for next year’s European Cups. Moratti and Ronaldo. I have to tell this to Katia. She has to know it’s not the end, it never ended: this is the simple, precarious truth of football. With incurable hope, now I know the worst passed and everything begins again.”

Ok, we’re addicted to football, but three weeks without it are really too much for anyone. Here in Italy, we do not have the good British tradition to play more than usual during Christmas holidays, but we have never had such a long stop. It’s really a nonsense to play three-time in a week, between Dec. 17th and 23rd, and then hole up. We understand that playing friendly matches in Bahrain or in the Arab Emirates can make you earn some millions of Euro, but Italian fans are certainly unhappy about that.

Consequences of a long stop. We don’t have to be surprised if Serie A –a long time ago number one in Europe- is now fourth in attendance, after Bundesliga, La Liga and Premiership. Christmas holidays are a nice period, schools are closed and so a lot of offices. People have a lot of time to spend in fun, and go to the Stadium for a football match is supposed to be a leisure activity: unfortunately, players are elsewhere. This is just one of the reasons (others are uncomfortable stadiums, without parking, etc., and violence everywhere) of a fall that seems to go on.

Transfers. “Calciomercato” is occupying a large part of the newspapers, not only because of January window, but also regarding next season. You can read a lot of bullshit, and it’s not easy to understand if there is something true, or at least seeming. Consider that a club like Juventus, which is a glorious club but now in Serie B and still fighting to be promoted, according to the sport press could have this team next year: Buffon, Zapata, Grygera, Barzagli, Heinze, Amantino Mancini, Malouda, Mavuba, Nedved, Klose (Claudio Pizarro), Ronaldo…
Roberto Mancini is still waiting for his contract renewal at Inter Milan, and incredibly coach and chairman Moratti are discussing about…the doctor: Mancini had an argument with doctor Combi and wants his dismissal as a condition to accept a new contract. Let’s wait and see, Josè Mourinho could join Inter together with Cristiano Ronaldo. 2008 is the centenary year, Massimo Moratti has 100 million Euro to spend for signing new players, and the Portuguese is one of the candidates to wear the black and blue jersey.

Sexual doping, or just an excuse? The lack of football matches makes us talk also about gossip. AC Milan striker Marco Borriello has recently tested positive for prednisolone, a banned substance based on cortisone, after AC Milan-AS Roma. Now Argentinean showgirl Belen Rodriguez, Borriello’s girlfriend, says it wasn’t doping, but only love. She states doping was due to an unprotected sexual love, as she took an ointment to heal an infection, but also the AC Milan forward caught same infection and took same ointment, which contained the banned substance. Some doctors say this is not possible, as this kind of medicine are not absorbed by the liver. So, as Borriello is wating for counter-analysis, this seems to be an excuse, such as Fernando Couto’s shampoo, containing –according to the defender- a little bit of nandrolone.