Is Ronaldinho’s Career at Barcelona Over?

By: Inara | April 5th, 2008

Yesterday, it was announced that Ronaldinho had pulled a muscle in his right thigh during practice and will be out at least six weeks. Since there are only eight rounds left to play in La Liga, it’s quite possible that Ronaldinho will not wear the Blaugrana jersey for the rest of this season.

Ronaldinho, who hasn’t appeared on the pitch since Barcelona’s home defeat to Villareal on March 9th, has been complaining about a pain in his thigh for weeks, despite previous scans showing no signs of injury.

His entire season has been riddled with incidents like this. If it wasn’t an injury that kept him benched, it was his weight that was the problem. Or his attitude. Or his fitness. Or his private life. Or his Xbox.

Out of 30 league games this year, Ronaldinho has only started 13. That’s a stunning fall from grace for the man who was considered to be the best player in the world only two years ago.

Has he done anything right this year?

The Spanish media claim that Frank Rijkaard is fed up with Ronaldinho’s antics and is prepared to let him go. And though Barca president Joan Laporta denies that there is a rift between the player and the club, he isn’t protesting too strongly.

At least Ronaldinho has options (though admittedly fewer than in previous years). Milan is always hovering nearby, and if Ronaldinho manages to walk away as a free agent due to the Webster Ruling, I imagine the number of clubs interested in his services would increase tenfold (after all, who wants to pay that €125m buyout clause?).

And perhaps a fresh start is what Ronaldinho needs. He might benefit from the change in atmosphere, different teammates, and a new challenge. He’s only 28, so he still has time to become the best player in the world again.

Please, just keep him away from those nightclubs.

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Category: Spain La Liga

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Rob

Yeah, I don't think he will sign for United, it was a just a thought. I'd just like to see him in the EPL really, anwhere. But then, i said the same about Shevchenko once.
Ak

The problem is that he's 28: it will take him at least a season to get his fitness and confidence up to level; so, at best, he'll only start to make an impact by the latter half of his second season (if things go reasonably well). Realistically, he's probably only got 5/6 years left in him; and, of course, there's also the factor of his wages, and, at the other end, his marketability and possible performance. I'd say it's about borderline good/bad deal for the suitor club in question, and I'd be surprised if he went for more than £20m (~ €25M, right?). But, then again, you take a gamble and sometimes it pays off.
Rob, I'd have loved the old ronaldinho at utd, but fergie/queiroz won't take the gamble unless there's something we don't know; plus, I don't think he'd be able to hack it in the prem, and then there's the fact that he turned us down for barca...
finnegan

what we have to remember is that ronaldinho is a magician - sure, he may seem down and out at the moment but we'd be dead wrong to say he can't reproduce his phenomenal form of two years ago. I think he's still got it up his sleeve, he just needs a little motivation.
Rob

If I am to be serious for a sec - the Article 17 factor is massively interesting. He would be the first huge name to do it, and it is looking a real possibility. Either that or there is going to be a fantastically interesting bidding war over the summer.

I can't be the only person hoping he ends up as Ryan Giggs replacement on the Man United Left wing. A frontline of The Dhino, Rooney, Tevez, Ronaldo. Sublime. No no, I've not heeded any Barca lessons. At all :D
Jeremy

I don't know if this is true, but I saw in an Argentine paper tonight that Milan have offered 20 million for him. Kind of hard to believe, but given their love for Brazilians, who knows?
Rob

Aye, they are all going to be on the bench, and then bought on after 3 minutes to shock the opposition. A risky tactic, but I think it might work.

I did a big post over at the Champions League about this very subject before I saw this on the front page, it is an interesting enough story to warrent it though I reckon
Sam Hiser

Messi, The Dhino, and Deco are all faking to surprise Schalke when they take the pitch at Camp Nou
James

Ronaldinho has always been humble, I think going to play for the national team was the factor. I mean.. just look at the World Cup where he didn't show any signs of the Ronaldinho we know. Also look at those around him, Robinho, Adriano, etc.

The problem is he believed his own hype and thought he didn't need to do anything , except show up to win games.
Ian

This seems like a win-win all around, if he leaves Barcelona. They get rid of a player that is not longer a star for them, and probably get a pretty hefty bit of cash in the process .. though, like you said, not as much as they would have gotten before. His new team gets a player that still has the potential to be great, if he's in the right situation. And Ronaldhino gets a chance to start over somewhere. Plus, if he can return to form, the Brazilian NT will certainly be happy as well. It doesn't seem likely he'll do that at Barca, so they should move him.