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.
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