OFFICIAL: Ronaldinho sold to Milan!

[Blaugrana]

Rijkaard is right, Ronaldinho hasn't been playing at his best for 2,5 seasons in a row now.

Someone should have warned him, Rijkaard takes his responsibility. He does it with respect too: "He needs to show his quality; with rage, aggressiveness or affection, he must react. But there is no doubting his quality; one can never avoid that.". Exactly my opinion. It's obvious that he is 1 of the best players of the world but when is he going to show that?

[lionel]

Goal.com has so many articles about ronaldinho, everyone is talking about him now..
here they are:
so many news about ronaldinho in one website...

Rijkaard: Ronaldinho Leaving Barcelona? Unthinkable

Frank Rijkaard insisted that the possibility of Ronaldinho leaving his Barcelona squad had never even crossed his mind as the Brazilian forward continues his recovery from injury...


Barcelona coach Frank Rijkaard (pictured) has once again leapt to Ronaldinho's defence, calling his critics short-sighted and adding that the Brazilian's tenure at the Nou Camp club would continue.

"In football, people forget very fast," he lamented.

"But Ronaldinho's had an incredible time with Barcelona. Thanks to him, and what he's given us, we are where we find ourselves right now."

The Dutchman once again insisted that the door was far from closed for a swift first team return for Ronaldinho.

"We're all human, including him. And once he feels physically well, he'll be the player we knew once again," stated Rijkaard.

But he saved his most emphatic statement for the idea that Ronaldino might soon leave the Nou Camp, with Chelsea a likely port of call.

"It's not even crossed my mind that he'll leave," boomed Rijkaard.

"Everyone can say whatever they want, but it surprises me that the press about Barcelona is always focused on this subject.

The manager went on to add that he has not publicly discussed the private lives of players with journalists, and would not be doing so now. Instead, he focused on Ronaldinho's injury.

"He's working under the auspices of doctors and the physiotherapists," he said.

"He's working hard to be back with us as soon as possible. There is no other issue."

Rijkaard went on to discuss Oleguer, the much-maligned defender who was criticised for his substitute appearance against Sevilla.

The coach defended his man, saying, "[Oleguer] always takes to the pitch with an exemplary mentality.

"When he plays from the start, he rarely makes mistakes. In addition, you can't build a team off creative and fantasiosos players alone; you need guys like Oleguer, too."

Rijkaard's side face Real Zaragoza at the Nou Camp tomorrow in La Liga, the coach claiming that, "[they] always raise their game against Barcelona."

However, he refused to focus on the minutae, casting a droll jab at the media in the process.

"I don't know if they drink coffee or tea, or if any of them have bought a new car. All I know is that they are a strong and serious opponent," concluded Rijkaard.

Goal.com - Barcelona - Rijkaard: Ronaldinho Leaving Barcelona? Unthinkable

Only One Man Can Give Ronaldinho Back His Shine

Ronaldinho has eight months to prove that he can continue to play for FC Barcelona and to rediscover the magic that propelled him to the status of the world's best player.


The Brazilian's future at Camp Nou and as one of football's finest performers is in serious doubt.

Current talk of his enjoyment of nightlife and beautiful women is nothing new, though those were purely anecdotal when he was wowing fans across the globe with his mesmerising performances for club and country.

At Paris Saint-Germain he was known as a party person and fell out with coach Luis Fernández for his appearances in public at bars and clubs across the French capital.

His early days at Barça saw him continue to go out but none of that mattered as he, almost single-handedly, pulled the Blaugrana up by the scruff of the neck and put the team back in the spotlight and among the honours.

At 24, you and your body can get away with it, and he did!

Last season was not a good one for many at Barça as the team played in a gear lower than they had been when sweeping to the Spanish title and the Champions League in 2005-06.

As is the case in many countries, but even more so in Spain for the 'big two', a scapegoat was sought to blame the crisis on and Ronaldinho was found wanting as he looked tired, out of shape, out of form, and unable to inspire.

In previous seasons the club would have done everything that they could to protect the player who was relied upon to raise morale and bring results, but as the campaign drew to a close it became evident that the 27-year-old was being seen as more of a problem than a solution.

Ronaldinho was the king of the Catalan castle and enjoyed the view from the pedestal upon which he had been placed, but people come along to make a challenge for your crown, and they did. With Lionel Messi rising to prominence and Giovani Dos Santos maturing rapidly, Barça suddenly had other options and all of Ronaldinho's habits that had once been overlooked by the club were now causing friction.

Night Fever

The Brazilian's nights out in the VIP area in Otto Zutz were suddenly highlighted after president Joan Laporta's well-publicised code of conduct was introduced over the summer, specifically to prevent the major stars from being seen out on the town after hours.

Ronaldinho's reluctance to train every day had also not been a problem as the club constantly stated that he was working in the gym when it was more likely he was at home. Statistics show that last year, the star took part in around a third of the first-team's training sessions, which again had not been a problem while he was performing on the field.

Then there is the polictics behind the scenes as Ronaldinho is still seen by some as Sandro Rosell's player, while Eto'o is Laporta's main man in the squad. Rosell was Laporta's right-hand man when he won the presidential election and the former Nike executive was instrumental in persuading Ronaldinho to join from PSG rather than go to Manchester United.

Since then, Rosell's massive fall out with Laporta has seen the former right a disparaging book about his time at the club and announce that he will run for the presidency next time. How much truth there is behind the story that Ronaldinho is viewed in such a light is uncertain, but it may well have some bearing on matters as the board knew that they were unable to criticise the player while he was performing.

Now he he is not, all his problems are being exposed and being dealt with in the same manner that the club would deal with any other squad member behaving in the same manner and Ronaldinho is not happy. It is true that the expectations placed on his shoulders are immense and, at times, he is unable to say enough is enough as club commitments mean that he has to carry out their will.

No Rest

The pre-season tour of the Far East was not welcomed by any member of the squad, but in particular Ronaldinho could have done without it after stating last season that one reason for his slight decline was lack of rest in the summer months. That nine-day trip, coupled with his appearance in a friendly for Brazil in the United States this month, is bound to take its toll on a player that plays at such a high pace.

Links to AC Milan over the summer appeared strong, but Laporta ended them with a telling statement to Silvio Berlusconi when he said "if I let Ronnie leave now I will be deported". That proved that whatever form the number ten maybe in, he is still seen as an idol and the man to lead the club back to major honours by the fans and the board.

Current rumours that Chelsea are looking to take him to London maybe engineered to test the waters for a move next summer or just opportunistic stories now that José Mourinho has left Stamford Bridge after stating that he did not want the Brazilian in his squad.

Ronaldinho's brother and agent, Roberto de Assis, believes that there is a plot to defame the player, but after his accusation he was quick to state that the Barça superstar would be back to his best soon, as if recognising that if his sibling plays well then everything will be good again.

It is all very messy indeed, but the fact remains that there is one man that can sort all of this out and end the problems with the board and stop Ronaldinho being jeered by his own fans and that man is Ronaldinho.

Messi, Dos Santos and company may all be earning rave reviews, but the one player that the supporters are desperate to see shining, once again, is the Brazilian and if he does that then nights out, weight issues and training matters will all be swept back under the carpet.

Goal.com - Editorial/Comment - Only One Man Can Give Ronaldinho Back His Shine

[lionel]

Ronaldinho And The Rumour Mill


The start of the season has been rocky at Can Barça (‘The Barça House’ in Catalan) with some sea changes still being hotly debated despite a summer spending spree that enriched the Blaugrana squad.

First it was Rijkaard who seemed to be on the verge of heading out of Camp Nou after some rather unproductive showings; after Deco seemed likely to leave now it’s Ronaldinho who’s hyped as about to pack his bags.

With the media storm ruffling pages around the world over what’s up with – and in for – the number 10, Goal.com has a look at the current situation with a view to rumours, cycles, mammary glands, ‘l’entorn’, mirrors, mountains and molehills…



Frank Rijkaard is no stranger to weathering storms on the Catalan coast, the Dutch Coach having heard crowds baying for his blood after a lacklustre first six months seemed to threaten Joan Laporta’s new Blaugrana project. The arrival of Ronaldinho at Barcelona hadn’t had the desired effect either and both were openly questioned – although not by the end of that debut season.

Four years later both have started their season under attack from various sectors of the Spanish press. Some of the slings and arrows have come from predictable sources – the Madrileño press – but lately a lot of ‘friendly fire’ has been raining in from Catalan sources. Recently both Ronnie and Rijkaard have been targets for multiple flak attacks.

The Coach was given – according to the grapevine rather than official sources – an ultimatum to either improve the unexciting way the team was playing or start to clear out his desk and looking for another job. A week later the tactician is sitting pretty after two good home wins against Olympique Lyon in the CL and Sevilla in La Liga.

Now the focus has shifted, after the slight Henry commotion over slow integration into the team, Domenech calling him up and almost setting Laporta’s fuse alight, and although the preseason saw Deco being labelled as the disgruntled star, threatening to take his game elsewhere if he wasn’t appreciated, the spotlights have shifted again.

It’s Ronaldinho’s turn to be clicked around into the firing chamber as he goes from untouchable first eleven material to, as in Dunga’s Brazil, an unquestioned talent who nevertheless needs to work for a place in the staring line-up. This switch of status has also been accompanied by backstage ‘revelations’ of a supposed love of the nightlife.

There is no hard evidence of this but the roots seem to be clear: a desire to find underlying causes for the fact that the number 10 isn’t showcasing his best game match in, match out. Although it is a patent fact that no player has ever been able to recreate his best work on a continual basis the rumour mill begins to grind away.

Last season saw one of the favourite devices click away as photos were used to show that the Gaúcho had gained weight and the rules introduced by Joan Laporta and Txiki Beguiristain led to insinuations about nightclubbing. This dovetailed perfectly with criticisms of the Brazilian Seleção in Germany – and mud sticks.

With the spotting of Ronaldinho’s brother (and agent) Assis in Milan and the hatching of theories of a head-spinning AC Milan offer there was suspicion that the Brazilian was hot to trot off to new pastures. This season has also seen substitutions that have caused some to sniff smoke and yell that Dinho’s Blaugrana contract is on fire.

This line of deductive reasoning goes that the number 10 has been taken off in all but one of the matches he’s played for Barça this season, only staying the full ninety minutes in the 0-0 Racing Santander opener, and was absent in the recent Sevilla game. The conclusion is therefore that Ronaldinho is less important now than he was before.

Proponents of this theory point to three key substitutions – during the 3-1 victory over Athletic Bilbao (for Milito in the 78th minute), in the goalless Osasuna draw (for Xavi in the 66th minute), as well as the 3-0 win over Olympique Lyon (for Iniesta in the 65th minute) as being signs that Rijkaard is toying with the idea of replacing Ronaldinho.

It’s been said that this is part of a cycle, and that Ronaldinho’s cycle at Barça is coming to an end, and it’s an argument that football fans have frequently heard – from Johan Cruyff’s Dream Team to Florentino Perez’s Galacticos and also applied to Frank Rijkaard as the Blaugrana Coach after the 2006 Champions League was won.

Rijkaard himself can count on personal experience of being written off yet coming back to triumph. In Cruyff’s Ajax he was seen as unable to stand the pressure and left in a huff in 1987, ricocheting from Lisbon’s Sporting Clube to Zaragoza before landing at AC Milan and being helped by his Coach, Arrigo Sacchi, to reach newer heights as a player.

Rather than junking Ronaldinho, Rijkaard seems to be prepared to weather the disapproval of a sector of Barça and all that surrounds it in order to recover the player instead of, as some would have it, prepare the ground to replace him with other alternatives – especially now that Messi has really caught fire as the man of the moment.

This is all grist to the rumour mill, of course, and combined with the simmering transfer buzz has been a feature of all Spanish sports papers and the sports sections of many national papers; both tabloids and broadsheets. Apparent weight gain, supposed late night sorties, mooted unhappiness, absurdly high transfer offers: it was no surprise that ‘The Sun’ would shine on Ronaldinho, especially in the post-Mourinho malaise.

The paper famous for its focus on mammary glands claimed that they were abreast of the inside information and that Ronaldinho was up for a move to Stamford Bridge. Under the probably none-too-accurate quote “Come ‘n get me Roman!” the London daily claimed that “RONALDINHO wants talks over a move to Chelsea after a fall-out with Barcelona boss Frank Rijkaard.”

The story alleged that “Chelsea owner Roman Abramovich is on red-alert to swoop for the frontman with a £50million bid after meeting with De Assis last month. Ronaldinho, 27, is furious he was fronted up by Rijkaard over allegations of boozing less than 48 hours before a game…Assis rapped: “I’m sure a campaign exists against Ronaldinho. I have read many absurd stories about his nightlife.”

Although ‘The Sun’ may not have made a boob with their allegations, (Roberto de) Assis has been quoted in Catalan daily ‘La Vanguardia’ as complaining that “much of the stuff that’s been published in the press has been deliberate…there are personal things involved…[and] they attack us because they want to attack other people.”

The older brother made these declarations during an interview with Catalan Radio station 'RAC1' and included the stressing of the fact that his younger sibling hadn’t refused to play against Sevilla because he was feeling unappreciated – but because he was carrying a calf injury and that itself was a rarity rather than cause for criticism.

“He’s one of the players that is least injured and if he has managed to play so many games it’s because he has taken care of himself. We have a clear conscience because we’ve never done anything to hurt the club’s image”, he underlined, the use of the first person plural stressing the common front he wants to present in view of a perceived attack.

And Assis has been attacked repeatedly, portrayed as a money-obsessed agent who’s willing to turn his brother into a mercenary for fiscal gain. Hence the constant focus on his travels and the consequent transfer rumours that follow. He himself evidently feels used as a proxy to spur a deal that would see Ronaldinho leave Barça.

His declarations may seem a tad paranoid with the use of ‘they’, but for those who accompany and have accompanied the ‘l’entorn’ of FC Barcelona for a while this is nothing stunningly new nor unnecessarily untrue. ‘L’entorn’ is literally ‘the surroundings’ in Catalan, but here means a combination of political manoeuvring in the boardroom, outside influences, the press, agents and various other influences on what happens at a club.

Most Spanish clubs have their ‘entorno’ (Spanish translation) to cope with, and this often translates into a climate that many Coaches and players find frustrating as Schuster pointed out recently in Madrid. It includes the leaking of stories that have only a vague toe-hold in reality but are designed to trigger a reaction by swaying public opinion. But can ‘l’entorn’ be blamed for the current rash of reports?

One of the reasons would be to spur a sale, so who would benefit? If the hyped offers are really what they’re made out to be then both Ronaldinho and his brother would certainly gain, but they’re hardly scraping by on leftovers and charity as it is. Other beneficiaries would include FC Barcelona, emerging stars and the press.

Some have said that the club could find its coffers overflowing with the figures bandied about for a potential Ronaldinho move, but would also lose out in other areas as all that glitters doesn’t boil down to transfer gold. Others point out that emerging stars such as Giovani Dos Santos and Bojan Krkic could gain more space in the starting line-up.

These are all true to some extent or another, but fail to recognise a few basic truths. Johan Cruyff, once a critic of the Barça ‘entorn’ and now seen by some sectors as being an integral part of it, recently highlighted one in today’s column in ‘El Periodico De Catalunya’; ‘Les Claus De Johan Cruyff’ (Johan Cruyff’s Keys).

"The team is always more important than any individual. When choosing a side the best players at that moment must play... It is impossible for one player to play in every single match of the season…It is the law of football and the squad knows that”, explained the Dutchman, and that is an undeniable truth.

Unfortunately modern media football does suffer from many vices and the cult of the personality is one of those vices. We seek heroes to worship and figures who make the difference rather than faceless teams and this is a double-edged weapon as ‘l’entorn’, which, let us not forget, includes fans, is an insatiable being that erects and demolishes individuals for a variety of reasons.

It’s become part of the healthy side of the game to accompany the development of new talents in detail, but the unhealthy flip side is a voyeuristic obsession with kicking them when they’re down. Rather than in some tangled conspiracy theory – which are habitually full of manure – the truth probably lies in simplicity: mountains are being made out of molehills by everybody from The Press to The Fans.

The latest came after the Sevilla match with Rijkaard having to field questions about ‘Messidependencia’ (Messi-dependence); the new theory that Barça is becoming too dependent on Lionel Messi. If we rewind a little we can recall shrill concerns about ‘Ronaldinhodependencia’, so what does the future hold?

Perhaps in a couple of years’ time we will be embroiled in hubbub surrounding an unsettled Messi who is under fire from The Press and a sector of fans unhappy with the then ex-FIFA World Player’s pre-season performances and ‘The Sun’ sports pages will run oversize-font headlines along the lines of “Come ‘n get me Hicksy!”

Until then there are bound to be twists and turns on a more-or-less daily basis, but we all know that it’s a hall of mirrors where the reflections are distorted. We can look this way or that and make suppositions and assumptions about Ronaldinho, what he may do in the future and what’s happening behind the curtain but it’s a view askew.

The distortions originate from a number of places and give a number of angles to view things from, but this is just a sideshow at the funfair of modern football. The main event is the match itself and all the brouhaha surrounding it may be entertaining or annoying but it is very much on the sidelines when the rumour mill stops grinding, the ball starts rolling – and the real adrenalin starts pumping.

Goal.com - Editorial/Comment - Ronaldinho And The Rumour Mill

[lionel]

English Press: Ronaldinho Plotting Chelsea Move

According to The Sun, Ronaldinho is fed up with his treatment at Barcelona and has instructed his agent, brother Roberto de Assis, to sound out the prospects of a move to Stamford Bridge to play for Chelsea...


English paper The Sun reports that Ronaldinho could be plotting a move to Chelsea.

Rumours abounded that the player, out injured, did not even attend Barcelona's 2-1 win over Sevilla at the weekend, although the club denies this.

Apparently, though, Ronaldinho is sick of his critics both insdie and outside of the club, the player now beginning to lose faith in the club management - and vice versa.

The former PSG man has in the past declared that he'd love to one day play for Chelsea, and has allegedly set the wheels in motion for an audacious move to London.

His brother and agent, Roberto de Assis, has apparently been dispatched to once again negotiate with Chelsea in a repeat of last month's meeting between Roberto and Chelsea supremo Roman Abramovich.

Following the departure of coach Jose Mourinho from Stamford Bridge, this could yet precipitate further agreement between the two parties.

But Barcelona have said nothing on the issue and seem unlikely to let 'Dinho leave without a fight. What's more, there is every indication that the player could be back in action for the blaugrana at the weekend.

Goal.com - Barcelona - English Press: Ronaldinho Plotting Chelsea Move

[lionel]

the most interesting, if you ask me..

Cruyff: Leaving Ronaldinho Out Was Right

Johan Cruyff believes that Frank Rijkaard was right to leave Ronaldinho out against Sevilla and understands that the Brazilian maybe suffering from fatigue.


The Dutch coach was repsonding to rumours that the Barça superstar has a muscle injury and is suffering after making some long journeys so early in the campaign.

Despite Ronaldinho being a key player for Barça, Cruyff believes that only the players that are fit and ready can be chosen.

"You cannot live on what you have done, but on how you are now," he said.

"The team is always more important than any individual. When choosing a side the best players at that moment must play.

"Whoever they are, that should be the ones that play.

"If Ronaldinho, or whoever, is not doing well because he has played for his country or because he has been on a long journey, or whatever, then that is fine.

"In the future there will be plenty of games for him to play in and for everyone else."

Ronaldinho is said to battling back to fitness after travelling to the Far East with Barça in the summer and then to the United States to play in a friendly for Brazil.

Cruyff understands that the demands on players now is taxing and thinks that it is no longer possible for out-field players to be ever-present.

"It is impossible for one player to play in every of the season," he continued.

"It is the law of football and the squad knows that.

"If a player plays who is not in form then the coach has made a mistake and it will affect the whole team.

"Every team has limits and if the player is not in form then the rest will see that and they will think it is unfair.

"The question is whether you want it and are prepared to work for it because it is obvious that physical fitness is not a gift."

Goal.com - Barcelona - Cruyff: Leaving Ronaldinho Out Was Right

[lionel]

Ronaldinho Has No Problem With Barça - De Assis

Ronaldinho's brother has hit out at suggestions that the FC Barcelona superstar was left out of the squad against Sevilla because of a problem with anyone at the club.


Roberto de Assis, who also acts as the player's manager, dismissed reports that there had been rift with Frank Rijkaard or the board and insisted that Ronaldinho is injured.

The Spanish media have said that the Brazilian forward was punished for going out at night and breaking the club curfew the night before a match.

Officially, Barça have stated that Ronaldinho is nursing a muscle injury and his brother is adamant that he would never miss a game for any other reasons.

"He is one of the players who has been injured the least and when a person has played so many games then he has to be careful," De Assis told RAC 1 radio station.

"We have a calm conscience because we have never done anything to damage the image of the club.

"These are things that go in one ear and out of the other and shows that whoever says this knows nothing about the game and has never been in a changing room.

"He is doing well and is recuperating.

"Ronnie has only ever wanted to his best for the club and for the team, although last season they were unable to win any trophies."

De Assis then explained that Ronaldinho is suffering after several long-distance trips have taken their toll, including Barça's pre-season tour of the Far East and Brazil's recent friendly in the United States.

"The players are only human and they have had various long journeys to make in the last few weeks and it is going to have an affect," he explained.

Ronaldinho was made one of the scapegoats after Barça made a slow start to the season, but his brother accepts that it comes with the territory.

"It is a problem for the whole team, although he will obviously pay a higher price for being who he is," he commented.

Finally, De Assis explained that Ronaldinho was delighted to see Leo Messi's gesture after scoring against Sevilla when he copied the Brazilian's trademark finger and thumb waving celebration.

"It showed the comanionship of the team," he added.

Goal.com - Barcelona - Ronaldinho Has No Problem With Barça - De Assis

[lionel]

Henry: Ronaldinho Changed Barcelona's History

Thierry Henry has offered words of support to Ronaldinho as the Brazilian striker endures poor form and injury worries. Speaking to The Times, the former Arsenal man praised 'Dinho's contribution


Thierry Henry (pictured) has spoken out in support of his injured teammate Ronaldinho, who will miss tomorrow night's tie with Real Zaragoza.

Speaking to The Times' podcast, the French forward said, "Ronaldinho is an impressive player who changed the history of this club.

"When things aren't going well, it's his image that stands out. I find it an absolute pleasure to play with him.

"I can't explain it. For me, Ronaldinho will always be one of the best players in the history of soccer."

Henry himself suffered through a couple of poor matches as he began his Barcelona career, but insisted that the pressure of performance never got him down.

However, he conceded that Ronaldinho may see things differently with constant media exposure.

"I don't pay attention to whistles when I play, as I'm totally focused in what's happening on the pitch," he remarked.

"But I know what it feels like when everyone expects something impossible from [me or] Ronaldinho."

That revealing comment shows that Henry is not immune to pressure, but the former Arsenal star in fact chose to reflect on the positives of his short time in Barcelona.

"Life here is wonderful," he sighed. "Everybody's given me an excellent welcome.

"The club is like a family, and from the second you arrive you know that you're in Catalunya, rather than just Spain.

"Aside from that, the city is fabulous, just like the stadium and the team. Everybody is friendly, even beyond the players.

"The fans have been good, too."

He went on to describe a key difference between English and Spanish football, saying that having fans observe training sessions is a unique factor of the Spanish game. "It was a shock," admitted the striker.

Henry closed with a remark about Cesc Fabregas, the young Arsenal player who controversially remarked that, with Thierry having left Arsenal, the rest of the players feel less pressure.

The striker himself, though, had nothing but praise for the midfielder.

"Watch him play: he plays as if he's 30 years old; the way he plays, the way he views the match, everything," he enthused.

"Mentally, he's already at the top. And one of the best things about him is that he doesn't like to lose. To be a winner, you need to have the correct attitude like that.

"And that's a good thing for Arsenal: it's his generation in charge now, and it's their responsibility to gain titles."

Henry is expected to lead the line for Barcelona against Zaragoza on Wednesday night.

Goal.com - Barcelona - Henry: Ronaldinho Changed Barcelona's History

[lionel]

Laporta: Ronaldinho Is Suffering And We Must Help

Barcelona president Joan Laporta insists that he and his staff will do everything they can to help Ronaldinho back to form, including giving the player a new-found sense of importance...


Ronaldinho's recent Barcelona problems are well-documented, and now president Joan Laporta is seeking to end them.

The supremo insists that, with a little bit of loving care, Ronaldinho can return to the team with good form in mind.

The boss confided that he'd sent an SMS text to the player to raise his spirits, adding, "He's not having the best of times.

"All of us must help him because he's given us so much that we must be grateful for.

"Now he must be convinced that he's an important member of the team. He must never feel alone."

Ronaldinho, who missed the weekend victory over Sevilla due to injury, is not expected to return to action on Wednesday to face Zaragoza, but Laporta claims that he'll be back sooner rather than later - and stronger with it.

"He's perhaps not ready for the matches with Zaragoza and Levante, but he has said to me that he will play against Stuttgart," continued Laporta.

Journalists asked, perhaps with reference to the new 'code of conduct' introduced this summer, what was to become of rumours that Ronaldinho was out late partying last Thursday night.

Laporta responded, "I have not spoken about that as it's a matter for the squad," leaving it in the hands of coach Frank Rijkaard.

Transfer speculation dogged the club and player all summer, with AC Milan being linked with an audacious move for the player. Laporta insists that this, like all other rumours relating to 'Dinho, was never destined to go anywhere.

"Of course many clubs were interested [in 'Dinho], just as they were in Eto'o, Messi, Puyol, Xavi... we were proud to have such sought-after players.

"But [Silvio Berlusconi of AC Milan] only playfully suggested a Ronaldinho-Kaka exchange, which I refused because we require spectacle, which Ronaldinho gives us."

Summer, of course, also contained a post-mortem of last season's rather barren showing by Barcelona that saw them lift only the Catalunya Cup.

But that's in the past now, says Laporta.

"Last year? For us, it doesn't exist," he exclaimed.

"We made the diagnosis, we applied solutions, and now it won't happen again. We incorporated changes that we deemed necessary and, should situations arise, we will act on them.

"Frank Rijkaard [coach]? I have full confidence in Frank. I have never doubted him. There's still the necessary atmosphere to create successes, and the team is working."

Barcelona welcome Zaragoza on Wednesday night.

Goal.com - Barcelona - Laporta: Ronaldinho Is Suffering And We Must Help

[lionel]

Zambrotta: Ronaldinho Can Go Out If He Likes

Barcelona defender Gianluca Zambrotta defended teammate Ronaldinho, after the Brazilian superstar was accused of constant late night outings by the local press.


"I don't see it as being bad to go out 48 hours before a match. We are all adults and each one of us has a responsibility. He can go out if he likes, but it depends on how he goes out. If he does it to drink and to get drunk it isn't okay, but if he goes out for a drink there is no problem," he said.

Zambrotta told reporters that each player can do "whatever they like," as long as the footballers don't go out the night before a match. "The important thing is that one hundred percent is given on the field always," he stated.

The Italian, who thinks Ronaldinho won't leave Barcelona, despite rumours from the English press, affirmed he doesn't want to get into what each player does, because each player has "his private life."

He declared that it is normal for players not to play their best each time, because there are many matches in the Spanish season, The Champions League, and internationals. "It can happen to any player," he admitted.

The former Juventus defender also commented about the outstanding form of Argentine teammate Lionel Messi.

"He is going through a great moment, and we are lucky to have him on our side. He is a year older and he can always make the difference, he has lots of personality and is very important for the team," he concluded.

Goal.com - Barcelona - Zambrotta: Ronaldinho Can Go Out If He Likes

[lionel]

Toure: Ronaldinho Will Return Soon

Yaya Toure waved away accusations that Ronaldinho was posted missing from last night's 2-1 win over Sevilla at the Nou Camp, saying that the player is alive, well, and ready to return soon. The midfielder also found time to praise a resurgent Lionel Messi...


Toure Yaya claims that Lionel Messi could well be in line for the Golden Ball should he continue at his current level of form.

"He's an exceptional player and could be the winner of the 'Golden Ball' based on his performances," said the Ivorian midfielder.

"He's a tremendous footballer who is exceptional to play alongside, and I believe that he's still got much he can show us, as he's not reached his full potential yet."

Another player currently not playing at his full capacity is Ronaldinho. The striker was rumoured to have stayed away from the Nou Camp last night as he recovered from injury, but Yaya insists that this is not the case.

He said that he saw him in the stadium after the match, but in any case, insisted that soon he'd be back on the pitch, too.

"He has some small muscular annoyances. I believe that he'll return to the team as soon as possible," said Toure.

"It's surprising to me; he's the object of so much criticism on the part of the journalists. But he's an excellent player and it'll start to happen for him soon."

Finally, Toure closed by saying that he's happy with his central midfield role with Barca under coach Frank Rijkaard.

"It's very easy for me to adapt alongside players of such pedigree," he confirmed.

Toure Yaya arrived at the Camp Nou this summer from Monaco for 10 million euros.

Goal.com - Barcelona - Toure: Ronaldinho Will Return Soon