INTERNATIONAL DESK — Ronaldinho will roll back the years this weekend when the 46-year-old Brazilian starts his first competitive match in over a decade, and in the unlikely setting of an Italian third-tier derby the World Cup winner may realise his dream of scoring one last time. The Brazil great and Ballon d’Or winner signed for Ravenna in June, also taking a stake in the club, but because he had not played since his final appearance for Fluminense in 2015, doubts remained over whether fans would ever see him in action.
Ravenna revealed three weeks ago that the former Barcelona and AC Milan player would make his return in Sunday’s home clash with local rivals Forli, and on Friday, manager Andrea Mandorlini told reporters that Ronaldinho would start the match. “He will play from the start, there’s no doubt,” Mandorlini said. “Then together we will decide how long he plays. He is one of the greatest players of the modern era.
He will be one of the three.” Ronaldinho was welcomed by the Ravenna fans in August, without committing to a return to the pitch. He returned to Italy on Friday afternoon and will have just one training session with his teammates on Saturday before making his club debut.