FIFA mulls rules to release players for Olympics

FIFA mulls rules to release players for Olympics

World soccer body FIFA will issue guidelines Thursday to ease the tension between football clubs and countries over the release of players for the Beijing Olympics starting next month.FIFA president Sepp Blatter, also an International Olympic Committee (IOC) member, is preparing a rule on whether footballers must represent their country if selected for the Games, which will be held at the same time when the European season starts. The world body declined to comment Wednesday but said that Blatter will make an official statement. Blatter has been an IOC member since 1999 and is a strong supporter of the Olympic tournament. "For any player, the Olympic football tournament represents a highlight of his career and I hope that a solution can be found," Blatter had said in February. Current FIFA advice obliges clubs to release under-23 players for the Olympic tournament, but allows them to stop older players taking part. But in the Olympics, each of the 16 competing teams can have three over-age players on its roster. Brazil star Ronaldinho has also been chosen but the 28-year-old midfielder's Spanish club FC Barcelona is refusing to let him go to China, where Brazil is due to play the host nation on August 13. Ronaldinho says he will defy the club and play in Beijing. "I do not see myself being left out of Beijing," Ronaldinho said Tuesday. "I see myself in the Olympics doing good things and bringing home the gold medal." Barcelona said on its Website that the former world player of the year "will have to report for training on Monday, the first session of the 2008-09 season. "The Olympics do not form part of the official FIFA calendar, and no official decision has ever been made in that respect, so the club is under no obligation to allow its player to travel," the statement said. Ronaldinho's agent and brother, Roberto de Assis, said he was also confident that Ronaldinho would be going to Beijing.

MILAN PREPARE TO UNVEIL RONALDINHO

MILAN PREPARE TO UNVEIL RONALDINHO





Ronaldinho will be formally unveiled as an AC Milan player on Thursday evening, the Italian club have confirmed.

The Barcelona star has been in Milan undergoing a medical and will now be presented to the Rossoneri fans at 8.30pm.

A club statement read: "Ronaldinho will be unveiled tomorrow at the San Siro Stadium at 21.30 (local time) to his new fans.

"The entrance will be free for all Rossoneri fans."

Ronaldinho has always professed his desire to join the Rossoneri and he backed up his words with actions when he renounced his right to 15 per cent of the transfer fee in order to facilitate a move to the San Siro.

Manchester City offered considerably more than the £17million which Milan are prepared to pay, but the Brazilian confirmed he was only interested in joining the San Siro club, with a three-year contract thought to be on the table.

"I can confirm that I strongly wanted to join AC Milan," he said. "It's true.

"Many things have happened but in the end I have become a Rossonero player.

"I am happy to find so many Brazilians but also all the champions that wear the Rossoneri colours."

Now the 28-year-old is determined to rediscover his magic at Milan, after his last campaign in Spain was marred by injuries and poor form at the Nou Camp.

"I am really happy," said Ronaldinho."After many years I am here.

"I am delighted to have arrived to AC Milan and I hope to be able to give a lot of joy to everyone."

Milan showed their commitment to the player by announcing they will allow him to play for Brazil at the Olympics, delaying his debut for the club.

Ronaldinho was included in his country's squad for the tournament as an overage player and had been in a dispute with Barcelona over his desire to play in China. But his new employers do not want to get off on the wrong foot with their new star signing.

"We respect the obligation that he took on before he came to Milan," said club vice president Adriano Galliani. "If he had already been a Rossonero, we would not have let him go, but as he is joining us later we will let him go to the Olympics."

Coach Carlo Ancelotti put a positive spin on allowing the forward to play for his country.

"It is a chance for him to find his fitness," Ancelotti said. "When he comes back he will be ready. He will only need to learn his place in our system."

Earlier, Ronaldinho issued an apology for making the Milan fans wait so long to greet him - a wait which will now go on one day longer.

"I am sorry if I made you wait," he told Italian sports daily Gazzetta dello Sport. "But the facts have shown that I always wanted Milan.

"It's not the moment to talk about Barcelona because I want to enjoy this new page in my life.

"I will only say that to Milan I promise a lot of effort, not only my technical skills."

Ronaldinho joins fellow Brazilians Kaka, Dida, Emerson and Alexandre Pato at the Serie A giants.

And Kaka was delighted at the arrival of his compatriot.

"I'm very happy with the arrival of Ronaldinho, who brings a lot of talent and quality to Milan and who will put us in a position to fight for titles," he said in a press statement.

Ronaldinho eyes Prem move

Ronaldinho eyes Prem move
Barcelona playmaker Ronaldinho has admitted he would 'love' to play in the Premier League.
Ronaldinho is expected to leave Camp Nou this summer as new manager Pep Guardiola looks to reshape his squad for next season.
Manchester City have already been granted permission to open talks with the forward while Chelsea have also been linked with a move following former Brazil manager Luiz Felipe Scolari's appointment.
And Ronaldinho has hinted a move to England could well materialise after expressing his admiration for the Premier League.
Love
"Every player would love to play in such a competitive championship like the English league," Ronaldinho told Globo TV.
"I'm happy because almost all the teams want me to play for them."
On the rumours linking him with a reunion with Scolari at Stamford Bridge, he added: "I'm very happy for him (Scolari). I admire him a lot and I hope he can make all his dreams come true. I wish him well."
The two-time Fifa World Player of the Year also discussed his struggle for form with Barca last term.
The 28-year-old explained: "When a lot of problems come together, the whole team is not well and players find it difficult to shine.
World's best
"I'm as upset as my team-mates for not playing well. The lack of titles let us down even more.
"Now I am recovered. Everything is perfect and I've started a new stage in my rehabilitation.
"I want to profit from these holidays to return as soon as possible to achieve my dreams of becoming the world's best player and playing in the world's best team."

Patience a virtue for new Milan signing Ronaldinho

Patience a virtue for new Milan signing Ronaldinho

ROME (AFP) — New AC Milan signing Ronaldinho on Wednesday said he was delighted to have completed his 18.5 million euros move from Barcelona.
The Brazilian was rushed from Milan's Malpensa airport to meet his new teammates ahead of the start of their pre-season training and he told Milan Channel that the transfer had been a long time coming.
"I am very happy, after a long time I'm here. I'm very happy to have arrived at Milan and I hope to bring a lot of joy to everybody. I can confirm I desperately wanted Milan. Many things have happened, but in the end I am a Rossonero.
"I'm happy to be here and I repeat, I hope to make the Milan crowd joyful," said the world champion.
The 2004 and 2005 World Player of the Year will be in familiar company at San Siro alongside four fellow Brazilians, including 2007 World Player of the Year Kaka and teen prodigy Alexandre Pato.
However, he is well aware that it is not just the boys from Brazil who provide the team with world-class elements.
"It's great to find a lot of Brazilians, but also the many stars who wear the Milan shirt. I'm happy about everything."
Milan vice-president Adriano Galliani confirmed that Ronaldinho would be free to take his place amongst his country's Olympic Games squad in Beijing.
"We respect the commitment he made prior to his transfer to Milan. If he had already been our player he wouldn't have gone."
Coach Carlo Ancelotti feels that it will be a good opportunity for the 28 year-old to build on his fitness so that he is ready to slot into the team upon his return just before the start of the Serie A season on August 31.
"(It will be) a chance for him to hone his condition. When he comes back he will be ready and there will only be a little bit of time needed for him to fit into the formation," Galliani said.
He added the Brazilian would signal the end of their summer spending that has included buying Italy defender Gianluca Zambrotta and French midfielder Mathieu Flamini.
"Milan's transfer campaign is finished with Ronaldinho. (Alberto) Paloschi, (Ignazio) Abate and (Dario) Simic might leave, but there will be no more new arrivals."

Ronaldinho is AC Milan's last acquisition of transfer campaign, Galliani says

Ronaldinho is AC Milan's last acquisition of transfer campaign, Galliani says
MILAN, Italy: Ronaldinho is the final piece of the puzzle for AC Milan's offseason acquisition campaign.
"Milan's market closes with Ronaldinho," club vice president Adriano Galliani said Wednesday, a day after sealing a deal for the Brazil playmaker's transfer from FC Barcelona.
"The club made a big sacrifice and got great players like Ronaldinho, (Gianluca) Zambrotta and (Marco) Borriello. The club should be applauded," Milan coach Carlo Ancelotti said.
Milan signed Zambrotta from Barcelona, midfielder Mathieu Flamini from Arsenal and regained Borriello, who scored 19 goals while on loan to Genoa last season.
The market closure puts to an end speculation that Milan would sign Emmanuel Adebayor from Arsenal or Didier Drogba from Chelsea. There have been rumors of Andriy Shevchenko returning from Chelsea, but those have also faded. Galliani said the only moves that might still be made could be departures, involving backups Alberto Paloschi, Ignazio Abate and Dario Simic.
"In terms of arrivals, we're finished as is — absolutely," Galliani said.
Alberto Gilardino (Fiorentina), Yoann Gourcuff (Bordeaux), Cafu (Santos), Ronaldo and Serginho have already left Milan.

Ronaldinho exit marks end of an era

Ronaldinho exit marks end of an era
European Football
by Jonathan Stevenson - BBC Sport (U1987325) 16 July 2008
On a day when Barcelona spent £11.8m on new signing Alex Hleb, a visit to their official website on Wednesday might have left you thinking the Spanish giants were a club in mourning.Splashed across the front page alongside two pictures of a proud and grinning Ronaldinho sporting Barca colours were the headlines 'Five unforgettable years' and 'Thank you very much'.Ronaldinho, a Barcelona icon and the trigger for some of the most memorable times in the club's modern history, was finalising his move to AC Milan.For all the Brazilian's troubles over the past two years, one of the world's great teams was saying farewell to one of the greatest players in its history.As Ronaldinho flew to Italy to complete his protracted transfer, you could be forgiven for thinking that a part of the Catalan club had died.I know that seems strong. There was a Barcelona before Ronaldinho and there will be a Barcelona at the top of European football after Ronaldinho.But it is worth remembering just what the 28-year-old with magic in his feet and a captivating smile achieved during his extraordinary time at the Nou Camp.When he arrived in 2003, he was the second choice of new president Joan Laporta, who had been comprehensively outmanoeuvred by Real Madrid in the battle to sign David Beckham.With Beckham joining their fierce rivals, Barca quickly turned their attentions to PSG's controversial forward and they beat Manchester United to his signature.Barca had only just scraped into the Uefa Cup having finished sixth in 2003 and turned to new manager Frank Rijkaard and the maverick Ronaldinho to turn around their fortunes.
Ronaldinho became the dominant presence in a city that took him to its heartAnd how. With his brilliant Brazilian as the catalyst, Rijkaard presided over one of the most successful spells in the Blaugrana's history.They did it playing a brand of football that relied on pace, passing and counter-attacking and Barca, at a time when beautiful football was becoming increasingly hard to find, were a joy to watch.Ronaldinho became not only the team's talisman, but the dominant presence in a city that took him to its heart.A second-placed finish in La Liga was followed by back-to-back titles and then the crowning glory of the team which included the likes of Deco and Samuel Eto'o - their Champions League triumph in 2006.For Ronaldinho, his personal zenith took place in the cauldron of hate reserved for Barcelona footballers that is Real Madrid's Santiago Bernabeu Stadium, on the night of EL Clasico on 19 November, 2005.For 90 minutes, Ronaldinho toyed with Real as he inspired his team to a 3-0 victory and scored two sensational solo goals - the second of which earned a standing ovation from fans of the Madrid club.It was the first time a Barcelona player had been treated with such respect in the Bernabeu since a performance from a certain Diego Armando Maradona in 1982."I never thought I would see this, now I can die a happy man," said Radio Catalunya commentator Joaquim Maria Puyal at the time.Going into the 2006 World Cup, Ronaldinho was by far and away the best footballer in the world.Since then, the former Cruzeiro playmaker has struggled with form and fitness and the speed of his decline meant he was left on the Barca bench several times last season even when fully fit.More worryingly, his desire to even continue playing the game was brought into question - to the extent that there were rumours he was considering retiring from football earlier on this year.But in joining AC Milan, Ronaldinho has given himself the best possible chance of reigniting his career and proving he still has the mental fortitude to play at the highest level.His move has been called a gamble for the Italians and in many ways, two years since he showcased anything like his genius best form, it is.However, if the Rossoneri get him firing on all cylinders, they have just signed a player who two years ago was seriously threatening to gatecrash Pele, Maradona et al as one of the greats of the game.Fans of football across the globe will be wishing Ronaldinho luck as he seeks to get his career back on track.On a Premier League note, it also means Manchester City, who were desperate to sign Ronaldinho but were realistically never going to get close, have a spare £25m to spend.As well as further clouding the future of Arsenal striker Emmanuel Adebayor, as Milan will not now be making a move for the Togo hitman.The reverberations of the summer's biggest transfer have only just begun.
Ronaldinho-transfered-by-milan

Milan fans at Milanello light fireworks to greet Ronaldinho (Foto Grazia Neri)

Milan fans at Milanello light fireworks to greet Ronaldinho (Foto Grazia Neri)

Ronaldinho milan first photo picture pic
Ronaldinho milan first photo picture pic
Ronaldinho milan first photo picture pic

Ronaldinho: Milan Move A Dream

Ronaldinho has spoken his first words in Italy as a Milan player, and he has admitted that his transfer to the Rossoneri is a dream come true.

The former European and World Footballer of the Year completed his long drawn-out move to Milan from Barcelona last night in a deal worth around €21m.The 28-year-old boarded a plane from Barcelona to Milan today, and arrived at Malpensa International Airport at 13:00 CET.Ronaldinho was greeted by Milan directors Leonardo and Ariedo Braida, with legions of fans repeatedly shouting out “Ronaldinho, Ronaldinho.”The Brazilian, sporting a hip-hop look with a New York Yankees cap worn the wrong way, saluted his supporters, before offering his first declarations to Milan Channel.“I am very happy, after a long time I'm here,” said Ronaldinho.“I'm very happy to have arrived at Milan and I hope to give a lot of joy to everybody."It's true, I confirm I really wanted Milan. Many things have happened and in the end I am a Rossonero. I'm happy to be here, and I repeat, I hope to make the Milan crowd happy.“It's great to find a lot of Brazilians, but also the many champions who wear the Milan shirt. I'm happy about everything, I'm here with other Brazilians like me but also with all the others.”Ronaldinho then left for Milanello, and upon his arrival at 13:30 he was greeted by hundreds of Milan fans. He shook the hand of Coach Carlo Ancelotti before being offered a tour around his new club. Roberto Rossi