Barça And Milan Agree Terms For Ronaldinho
Tuesday, 15 July 08, 05:56 PM · Comments (28)
At just past 11p.m. tonight Joan Laporta and AC Milan's vice-president Adriano Galliano announced they had reached an agreement for the sale of Ronaldinho Gaucho. Ronaldinho will travel to Milan in the morning to pass a medical and he will then be presented as a Milan player. The fee is said to be €21 million + €4 million for various objectives. This brings to the end the Barça career of one of the greatest players, if not the greatest ever to grace Camp Nou.
From his home debut against Sevilla in Semptember in 2003 when he scored one of the greatest goals I've ever seen, Ronnie thrilled fans with his shimmies and flicks. He was responsible for bringing Barça out of the doldrums of the Gaspart era which reached its crescendo in Paris when Barça beat Arsenal to win their second European Cup.
On the way there were two La Liga titles and two Supercopas, a dazzling two goal display in the Bernabeu that had the home fans applauding their greatest rivals, countless free-kicks that left goalkeepers standing, backheels, powerful runs that left defenders for dead and pinpoint 40 yard passes. We are fortunate enough to live in the age of youtube where most of his ball juggling, sombreros, colas de vaca, etc can be enjoyed again and again for generations to come.
It has been sad to watch his decline over the last two years when it has seemed that his partying lifestyle has been catching up with him. Reports of a drink problem may or may not be true, but it has been clear to Camp Nou regulars that he has lost his once superb physical condition. I pray he can recuperate it at his new club for the good of football fans worldwide. I cannot blame him for enjoying the good things in life. when you have the money and the fame then it is clear that there are temptations out there that many of us would find hard to resist.
For today I'd like to forget the negative side and bow down to one of the legends of the game. There were times he looked like he would be remembered as the greatest player ever. He seemed capable of inventing something new in every game. Who else has ever set up a goal with a pass using his back? Ronnie, thanks for the good times, you will never be forgotten.
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Thank you Dinho for starting the Barca Revolution, you will never be forgotten. It sucks to see him leave but it was for the best interests of both parties for this move to happen. I saw him last week in houston and wore my barca #10 dinho jersey, knowing that was the last time I will ever wear it so i have been preparing myself for this day, but damn it still sucks. Dinho is the most skilled player that I have ever seen and maybe will ever see. It was a joy to watch him play for this great club every weekend and my week revolved on a countdown of how many days left until i can watch him play again. You never knew what you might see out of him and even when he did the impossible, i was never really that shocked b/c it was dinho. I first saw him play in Copa America 99 and he instantly became my favorite player after his goal vs Venezuela in that tournament (look it up please). I even bought a PSG jersey b/c he was there and was in shock when he decided to join my fav team in 03. His talent was never doubted but i guess in the end his desire was. I hope he does better in Milan than Rivaldo did (another Brazilian who left Barca in controversy). There is 1 moment that i will never forget and will tell my kids: Dinho given a standing ovation in the Bernabeu. That is something that we might never see again.
I have conflicting emotions over Ronaldinho, as my own blog's history can relate. Yes, he was a joy to watch when in form and fit. A true joy. I also liked that he always smiled in the beginning. It was a breath of fresh air to see him playing out there like he really enjoyed it. Alas, it didn't last, much as I clung to the hope he would swing back after the '06 WC. And I really did cling tightly. To the point that when I finally let go, it left me a little sad and a little bitter. Still, you're right about youtube, Nic. I watch those (or BarçaTV) and it makes me smile to watch. Such a talent. Reminds me of the phrase: youth is wasted on the young. Hopefully he'll find that happiness for the game again. Knock on wood.
Couldn't agree more, Nic.
The best thing about Ronnie was that whenever you saw him play there was a chance you'd see something you'd never seen before and likely would never see again. When you have a player like that, every match, even the most mundane, becomes a can't miss event. He made millions of people around the world -- including me-- culés. On form, he is simply irreplaceable. I will miss him greatly and wish him all the best in his quest to regain his status as the world's best player with the rossoneri.
Though it is sad to see him go, that pales in comparison to the pain of seeing him decline in form. No player has ever made me love the game so much, leaving me giddy as a schoolboy.
Ronnie, you will be missed, as you have been the last two seasons. Good luck, and I hope you recover your form, even if it be for someone else.
But, my allegiance will always remain with the Blaugrana. Visca Barça.
i imagine if he was still on form in the last 2 seasons and we won another champions league as well as him playin well in d world cup, he will already be up there with pele n maradona....his list of inventories is just toooooo long...even ronaldo n messi havnt tot of inventing nything yet....he's in my top 5 of all time
But I'm still a Barca supporter. I think we need Hleb or Arshavin now, there is no one to play on the left side! Or maybe a winger, Silva could do well. Anyway, heads up Barca fans! It is time to rebuild the team from scratches, at least in attack! Oh, someone else comes to mind, he's attacking midfielder that could replace Deco well, Diego from Bremen, but is he too expensive?
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Goodbye..thanks for everything you did for Barca for the good and bad things also!! A new era begin for Barca, an era without Ronnie. Now Pep will prove to everybody Barca is able to success without Deco and Ronnie!
Thanks Dinho for everything. You are a Barça legend. Wish you all the best in AC Milan.