Friday, July 18, 2008

Ronaldinho Signs with Milan AC - Fans Estatic

The ANNOTICO Report

Ronaldinho scored 91 goals in 200 appearances in five seasons at Barcelona, and helped lead the club to consecutive Spanish league titles in 2005 and '06, and the Champions League trophy in 2006.

Milan finished a dismal fifth in Serie A last season and was eliminated by Arsenal in the second round of the Champions League. This season, Milan will play in the second-tier UEFA Cup.

This year Milan AC  is aiming for a quick rebound, back to the top of European football, now that Ronaldinho has joined Kaka and Alexandre Pato in an all-Brazilian attack.

Fans see real deal: Ronaldinho signs AC Milan contract during presentation

The Canadian Press - MILAN, Italy
July 17, 2008

MILAN, Italy  The news conference was called to show off Ronaldinho, AC Milan's new star, before the Brazilian star had his name or his number on the team's red-and-black jersey. Ronaldinho didn't even have a contract yet.

So Thursday night's presentation at Meazza Stadium began a few minutes late and was hastily turned into a signing ceremony.

"Put your signature here," Milan vice president Adriano Galliani told Ronaldinho, as they sat side-by-side in front of TV cameras, and the player took pen in hand and signed the papers.

Galliani told reporters that right down to Thursday night "there were all kinds of problems," the Italian news agency Apcom reported. "It got down into the nitty-gritty, such as the rating of the bank giving the guarantee" for the transaction to acquire Ronaldinho from FC Barcelona.

Even before he signed, Ronaldinho, speaking in Portuguese, told the news conference that "I already feel home here."

"It's a really special moment," the player said. "Everyone wants to be on this team for the importance of Milan's history. Putting on this jersey is already a victor for me," Ronaldinho said.

AC Milan is aiming for a quick rebound, back to the top of European football, now that Ronaldinho has joined Kaka and Alexandre Pato in an all-Brazilian attack.

Milan finished a dismal fifth in Serie A last season and was eliminated by Arsenal in the second round of the Champions League. This season, Milan will play in the second-tier UEFA Cup.

Ronaldinho told reporters that while his time with the Spanish club "had been very positive, with great victories, at a certain point the championship titles weren't coming any more, there were disappointments and displeasure, and thus the time came to part ways."

"Here I can go back to being happy and to reaching new personal and team objectives," he said.

Ronaldinho scored 91 goals in 200 appearances in five seasons at Barcelona, and helped lead the club to consecutive Spanish league titles in 2005 and '06, and the Champions League trophy in 2006.

After he signed, Ronaldinho stepped onto the field to the cheers of fans, who attended the presentation for free.

The Rossoneri won the Champions League in 2003 and 2007, and lost the 2005 final to Liverpool.

Barcelona said AC Milan will pay US$33.6 million for Ronaldinho and an additional $6.4 million if the Italian club clinches a place in the 2009-10 Champions League.

The transfer amount was considerably less than what Barcelona said Manchester City had offered.

AC Milan owner and Italian Premier Silvio Berlusconi has said Ronaldinho is "worth" the money.

 

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