Ronaldinho poised for Ravenna start and, perhaps, one last goal
Ravenna announced Ronaldinho’s return three weeks ago, with manager Andrea Mandorlini confirming on Friday that he would start Sunday’s home derby against Forli.
Ronaldinho, the 46-year-old Brazilian World Cup winner, is set to make his first competitive appearance in over a decade this weekend when he starts for Italian third-tier side Ravenna. The club's manager, Andrea Mandorlini, confirmed that the former Barcelona and AC Milan player will take to the field in the derby match against local rivals Forli on Sunday.
Despite joining Ravenna in June and acquiring a stake in the club, doubts lingered as Ronaldinho had not played since his final appearance for Fluminense in 2015. The Ravenna management has decided to give the World Cup winner a starting spot, with Mandorlini stating, "He is one of the greatest players of the modern era. And we have to get a result.
We always play with three forwards. He will be one of the three." Ronaldinho made his return to Italy on Friday and is scheduled to join his teammates for a single training session on Saturday before his club debut. The Ravenna stadium has erected a temporary stand to accommodate the crowd. If Ronaldinho does decide to retire after this match, he may have the opportunity to score his 300th professional goal, as Simone Rabbi will play alongside him up front for the team.
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