Ronaldinho's injury and transfer saga brings more conclusions than necessary.


Coach Frank Rijkaard has blasted the media for the negative role its been playing in the injury saga concerning Barca's super star, Ronaldinho. Press reporters have suggested often and on, that Rijkaard is having a rift with Ronaldinho and wants to sideline the Brazilian. Others suggest that Ronaldinho is out of favour and out of form, and will be moving to Chelsea FC to start a new life. All these have not gone down well with either the Ronaldinho nor the clubside FC Barcelona. Rijkaard declares:

It's not even crossed my mind that he'll leave. Everyone can say whatever they want, but it surprises me that the press about Barcelona is always focused on this subject. Ronaldinho is working under the auspices of doctors and the physiotherapists. He's working hard to be back with us as soon as possible. There is no other issue. In football, people forget very fast. But Ronaldinho's had an incredible time with Barcelona. Thanks to him, and what he's given us, we are where we find ourselves right now. We're all human, including him. And once he feels physically well, he'll be the player we knew once again.

Ronaldinho will be missing the La Liga match involving FC Barcelona against Real Zaragoza, as his injury is yet to heal.

Once again, The Sun Newspaper spearheads a swoop on Barca.


British tabloid, The Sun, have been credited with a report suggesting that Ronaldinho has opened talks with English Premiership side, Chelsea FC through his agent and brother, Roberto de Assis. The English media have reportedly claimed to have sighted Roberto and Chelsea's Billionaire owner, Roman Abramovich in London, where the two were said to have sealed a deal for the transfer of Ronaldinho from Barca to Chelsea.


The report claims that Ronladinho confided in his brother that he was no longer happy at Barca, and that he was being persecuted by Barca fans. This prompted de Assis to fly into London yesterday to finalise talks with Abramovich, who has all along been eager to welcome the Brazilian to Stamford Bridge, having publicly voiced this out. Chelsea have become more desperate to re-organise their team after the sensational exit of coach Jose Mourinho, who has had a long running battle with Roman Abramovich and some members of the Chelsea board. New coach Avram Grant made his debut with a 2-0 loss to Manchester United.


Neither Chelsea nor Roberto could be reached to confirm or refute the story, but Roberto de Assis is due to make comments on the Ronaldinho saga very soon.

Goal machine Bojan Krkic reveals his unique experience after making his official debut for Barcelona, but the young one is still not satisfied.


After replacing his good friend, Giovani dos Santos in the 79th minute of the La Liga match against Osasuna in Pamplona, Bojan Krkic was certified as having made his first official debut for FC Barcelona on the 16th of September, 2007 at the age of 17 years, 20 days. Even though Bojan played for just ten minutes, the agile striker came close to scoring on two occassions and would have well sealed victory over Osasuna. It was a glimpse of what the future holds for the 17 year old in the red and blue stripes. Bojan Krkic speaks of his experience while making his debut:

It was a privilege just to play for ten minutes. It’s a dream come true. I’m very happy indeed. It was a special day for me.

Asked on how he felt in the pitch when he was playing hsi frist debut game, the young striker admitted that the ned to carry out goal-scoring duty became dominant once any striker entered the pitch:

Once you are out there on the pitch, you don’t worry about the score or making your debut, you just get on and do what you are supposed to do as well as you can. As a centre forward, you know that the longer you play, the more chances you’ll get, but I had a couple of occasions in the ten minutes, it was just a pity I couldn’t do more with them.

Bojan still doesn't feel complete and totally satisfied with making his debut. The reason is simple. He hasn't made a debut in the Camp Nou yet and this is what the goal-machine looks forward to doing very soon:

My first dream was to play for Barca, now it’s to play at the Nou Camp. That will be great. I’ve always had players who I tried to follow, but this is different, I’m in there with some of the World’s biggest stars and I’m determined to learn all I can from them. Both myself and Giovani have come up to the first team this season and we have to show the boss that he can count on us, but without putting too much responsibility on us. I think it’s good that they are keeping the pressure off us. I’m here with the first team squad now and the possibility of going back to the second team is completely discounted. I’m training with the first team and I want to show just why I’m here.

Goals and scoring more goals have become a problem for FC Barcelona, despite having one of the most fearsome names in attacking football. When Bojan was away in Korea for the U-17 world cup, discontent fans cried for his return to Camp Nou, believing the goal sensation will return with the goal-key for the Blaugrana and open up the floodgates for an unending shower of goals against Barca's opponents. Bojan gives his opinion:

I’ve only seen the Pamplona game of course, but even though you sometimes don’t have enough sharpness upfront, the quality we have, I’m sure that when the goals start to go in, they’ll not stop coming.

A good prediction for the future from the young one.

Catching them young is desirable, but cutting them young is also a possibility.


Barcelona's goalkeeper trainer, Juan Carlos Unzue has taken a step toward shielding Barca's two sensational teenagers, Giovani dos Santos and Bojan Krkic from early media crowding out, explaining that too much media hype about the two will impact negatively on their careers. Unzue, recognising that attention comes naturally toward the two golden fishes in Giovani and Bojan, has as a preventive measure against pride and premature failure, advised the two youngsters to keep their feet to the ground inspite of all the news and rave reviews about them. Unzue believes that:

Bojan and Giovani just need to concentrate on bringing the most they can to the group, but not under pressure. It’s only normal that the media zoom in on them, playing at a big club like this, but it’s important that they are sensible kids, who know how to deal with the situation. They’re with the first team to learn, but it’s the older players who must carry the responsibility for success.

Giovani has already made his official for Barca in the La Liga game against Athletic Bilbao, while Bojan is hoping to do the same against Osasuna this weekend. Both have however, played games for Barcelona in the friendlies and Copa Catalunya matches, and both have scored goals as well.

Bursting out of the closet and the hospital bed, Barca's Eidur Gudjohnsen quickly asserts his position.


After weeks of speculation about his future, Barca's striker Eidur Gudjohnsen has declared where he stands. The Icelandic star is not yet ready to move anywhere further than where he already is, which is Camp Nou. Eidur, who was injured, and missed a potential transfer to England, is not ready to leave Barca yet. Guddy says:

I’m here and I’m staying here. That’s absolutely clear. I’m not thinking about any other team. I only want to think about my future with Barça. I wouldn’t want to leave feeling the way I do now because I’ve always felt that I have never reached my full potential. I’m just concentrating on the present, working and training hard to get into good shape again. Between me and the other strikers, the only difference is that I haven’t had the opportunity of training at the same level as the rest but I’ve spoken to the fitness trainer about training harder than the rest and reaching the same degree of fitness. I don’t have any discomfort now and I’m another option for the boss. I have to think about my body and about my fitness and demonstrate what I can do.

Feeling more relaxed after his declaration, Gudjohnsen took out time to speak on the impasse between clubs and countries of various international players:

Both club and country are important. The coaches, clubs and international managers have to talk more about each player’s particular situation. That would certainly help to avoid some of the problems that have been coming up.

With both strikers Samuel Eto'o and Lionel Messi injured, Eidur Gudjohnsen might yet have a clear chance to play for Barca in this weekend's La Liga game against Osasuna.