Ronaldinho Set to Make Competitive Return with Ravenna This Sunday
Brazilian football legend Ronaldinho is preparing to make his first competitive start in over a decade as he dons the jersey of Ravenna for their clash against local rivals Forli in Italy’s third division on Sunday. The iconic former playmaker, now 46, joined Ravenna in August, marking this match as a significant milestone in his illustrious career.
The last time Ronaldinho played in a competitive match was for Brazilian club Fluminense back in September 2015. Ravenna’s manager, Andrea Mandorlini, confirmed on Friday that Ronaldinho will be in the starting lineup as one of three forwards for the game. “He will play from the start, there’s no doubt,” Mandorlini stated. “Then together we will decide how long he plays. 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.”
Initially joining Ravenna as an investor, Ronaldinho expressed his desire to score one final goal that would bring his career total to 300. Club owner Ignazio Cipriani emphasized earlier this year that Ronaldinho’s involvement is genuine and not merely a promotional gimmick.
As part of the preparations for the match, a temporary stand has been erected at Stadio Bruno Benelli to accommodate the influx of supporters, eager to witness the World Cup winner in action, possibly for the last time. Ravenna forward Simone Rabbi noted that Ronaldinho will also handle any penalties awarded to the team, as they currently sit in second place in the league after 13 matches.
