Ronaldinho Arrives in Italy to Prepare for Ravenna Return

Ronaldinho Gaúcho arrived in Italy on Friday to prepare for his return to competitive football with Serie C club Ravenna, ESPN Deportes reported.

The 46-year-old landed at Forlì Airport in northern Italy, where club president Ignazio Cipriani greeted him.

Ravenna scheduled an individual training session for Friday, followed by a full team session on Saturday.

Ravenna head coach Andrea Mandorlini said that Ronaldinho could play approximately half an hour during Sunday’s fixture. However, the manager has not yet confirmed whether the veteran will start the match on the bench or feature in the starting eleven, nor has he clarified his exact tactical position on the pitch.

“Ronaldinho could play around half an hour,” Mandorlini said, according to ESPN Deportes, while noting that final lineup decisions remain pending ahead of the weekend clash.

The former star closed out his professional career with Fluminense in 2015.

During a decorated career spanning multiple continents, the Brazilian forward represented Grêmio, Paris Saint-Germain, Barcelona, AC Milan, Flamengo, Atlético Mineiro, and Querétaro. His most celebrated club spell came with Barcelona, where he secured two La Liga titles and a UEFA Champions League trophy.

On the international stage, Ronaldinho lifted the World Cup with Brazil in 2002. Individual accolades followed in 2005, when he won the Ballon d’Or and was named FIFA World Player of the Year.

Ravenna hosts Forlì on Sunday in Serie C, and Ronaldinho has one day of team training on Saturday.