January 30, 200718 yr Ronaldo transfer still not agreedMADRID, Spain -- Real Madrid and AC Milan have been unable to reach an agreement over the transfer of Ronaldo because of differences over the price and conditions of payment for the three-times World Player of the Year."There is no agreement at the moment," said Milan vice-president Adriano Galliani."We will meet again tomorrow to continue negotiating. We have offered seven million euros and Real want eight and we haven't agreed on the payment conditions either."Ronaldo has been tipped to leave Real since coach Fabio Capello made it clear the 30-year-old did not feature in his plans.The Brazilian has been a long-time target for Milan who were reported to have made a bid of between 15 and 18 million euros for the striker in the close season.A transfer to Milan would represent a return to familiar territory for Ronaldo, who played for Inter between 1997 and 2002.Meanwhile, Milan coach Carlo Ancelotti has told Italy's Radio Anch'io Sport of his excitement at Ronaldo's imminent arrival.His transfer, along with that of right-back Massimo Oddo, who joined from Lazio last week, would ensure the club stayed competitive in Serie A and abroad, said Ancelotti."Oddo and Ronaldo are important. With them we will stay in the elite of European football," he added.On Monday, Galliani flew to Madrid to hammer out the details of a transfer that was given the go-ahead after the Brazilian passed a medical last Friday.Ronaldo, who was Real's leading scorer in each of his previous four seasons in Spain, has been angling to leave since Capello criticized him as overweight and no longer in his plans."His problem in the last few years was not his weight, but his motivation," Ancelotti said. "He's not particularly fit at the moment because, having been excluded from the Real squad, he has lost some of his enthusiasm in training."Hampered by the eight-point penalty handed to them in the Serie A match-fixing scandal, Milan have made a slow start this season and are ninth, 30 points behind leaders Inter Milan.Striker Filippo Inzaghi said Ronaldo would be given a warm reception by his new team-mates. "All the great champions are welcomed. I'm a Milan fan, so I hope that Ronaldo can give us a big hand," he said.Ronaldo's transfer has been the subject of intense debate in the Italian media, with some suggesting Milan were making a mistake by signing a player who was well past his best.But former Milan great Roberto Donadoni, now Italy coach, applauded the club's decision to sign the Brazilian."He is still one of the best in the world from a technical point of view. If he isn't let down by his physical condition, he can do very well."
January 30, 200718 yr Ronaldo signs for AC MilanROME (AFP) - AC Milan have signed Brazil international Ronaldo from Real Madrid on an 18-month contract, the Serie A club has confirmed.ADVERTISEMENTThe 30-year-old striker, three-time FIFA World Player of the Year, had fallen out of favour with current Real coach Fabio Capello and returns to Serie A for a second spell having spent five years at Milan's rivals Inter.He will cost the Italian giants a reported 7.5 million euros.Born in Bento Ribeiro, in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, Ronaldo first came to prominence with Cruzeiro where he scored 58 goals in 60 appearances.After making his international debut for Brazil at the age of 17, he left South America to join PSV Eindhoven.In his two seasons in Holland, he scored 55 goals in 56 appearances and his astonishing figures didn't go unnoticed across the continent, with Spanish giants Barcelona snapping him up before the start of the 1996-97 season.Ronaldo continued to find the net with alarming regularity, scoring 39 goals in 44 appearances in his one and only season at the Nou Camp before Inter lured him to Italy for 25 million euros (32.3 million dollars).In his first season he scored 34 goals in 47 matches before helping Brazil reach the 1998 World Cup final against hosts France.The stage was all set for Ronaldo to shine only for a mystery illness to lay him low on the eve of the match.After first being named as a substitute, he was then included in the starting line-up but looked a shadow of his true self as Brazil lost 3-0.In November 1989 he ruptured his knee-cap tendon while playing for Inter and was ruled out for four months.He made his comeback as a substitute in the Italian Cup final but just six minutes after coming on his knee gave way and he was carried off in floods of tears.After two operations and many months of rehabilitation, Ronaldo returned to lead Brazil's attack at the 2002 World Cup and helped them to their fifth title, netting both goals against Germany in the Yokohama final.Soon after the final, Real Madrid declared their interest in him and he announced he wanted to leave Inter.Inter were furious having stood by the Brazilian during his injury crisis.After protracted talks, he left for Spain in a deal worth an estimated 45 million euros (58 million dollars).He scored within a minute of his Real debut and went on to bag 99 goals in 164 appearances for the Spanish giants before his relationship with Capello came to a head.
January 30, 200718 yr Here is what the world of football is saying about Ronaldo’s move to A.C. Milan:Silvio Berlusconi: ‘Ronaldo refused the money from the United Arab Emirates and the United States. He told me that he has always dreamed of Milan and that he wants to come here to show everyone that he is still a great champion.’Adriano Galliani: ‘Ronaldo is a great champion. He is really excited and determined. The news of his arrival has spread across the globe and Milan are back to being considered by the media the great team that they have always been. Now, we must substitute two important players like Stam and Shevchenko. We are once again at the formidable level of the past. Milanello welcomes Ronaldo with open arms’Carlo Ancelotti: ‘He has always been one of the greatest champions. He really wants to play for Milan and he doesn’t have any problems with his body.’Paolo Maldini: ‘After Maradona, the greatest opponent that I ever encountered was Ronaldo. His skill is out of this world.'Kakà: ‘It’s difficult for me to talk about him because one of his biggest fans. When he was ‘The Phenomenon’, the number one, I was starting my career in Brazil. For me playing with him in the same club is a dream come true. In my opinion, Ronaldo’s best asset is his ability to decide the game from one moment to the next.’Pippo Inzaghi: 'I am happy about Ronaldo’s arrival because any champion that can help Milan to win is welcomed with open arms into the team.'Roberto Donadoni: 'The landing of Ronaldo in Milan is not a gamble. The Rossoneri have made an investment on an important player. Technically, he is amongst the best in the world. If his physical condition is good, then I don’t see why he can't do well.'Marcello Lippi: 'From my point of view here from Viareggio, I don’t know why Real Madrid would let him go. Milan did well to sign him, he needs a motivated club. Ronie has been blessed in life, not many people have had fortune like his.'Gigi Simoni: 'Ronaldo did well to select Milan. I think that he will do well with the Rossoneri. Ronaldo remains amongst the top five strikers around.'Fabio Cannavaro: 'I arrived at Inter and he left. Then, I arrived at Real and he leaves. I hope this all isn’t my fault! He is a great play and he will have a great desire to show how well he can do.'Cesare Prandelli: 'If he is feeling well and has the right motivation, then he is for me the best there is.'Ronaldinho: ‘Ronaldo will be successful with Milan and I wish him the best. We will miss him here in the Liga, this is a loss for Spanish football.’Luca Toni: 'I am happy that he is back. I have always like him a lot and I was disappointed when he was injured. I think that Milan have made a great buy.'
January 30, 200718 yr The dream has come true and Ronie is a Milan player. The official news arrived from A.C. Milan at 4.30pm CETRonaldo Luís Nazário de Lima, better known as Ronaldo, is finally a Milan player. The Brazilian is a true champion and brings with him an impressive list of honours and personal triumphs. Nicknamed, 'The Phenomenon', Ronaldo has won the World Cup twice - 1994 and 2000 - as well as playing the 1998 final. He then became all-time topscorer in the World Cup finals last summer when netted his 15th goal to overtake Gerd Muller.At an individual level, apart from the World Cup goalscoring record, Ronie has been awarded the Golden Ball on two occasions, in 1997 and 2002 while also lifting the UEFA player of the year in 1998 and FIFA player of the year for 1996, 1997 and 2002. His club honours make impressive reading: Brazilian Cup (Cruzeiro, 1993), Dutch Cup (PSV Eindhoven, 1996), Cup Winners Cup (Barcelona, 1997), UEFA Cup (Inter, 1998), Spanish League (Real Madrid, 2003) and two Spanish Super Cups (Barcelona, 1996; Real Madrid, 2003).
February 1, 200718 yr GALLIANI ON RONALDOAdriano Galliani spoke to Milan Channel about Ronaldo's arrival:'All's well that ends well, so we are satisfied. Ronaldo signed at 5pm CET and will leave for Milan at 6.15pm CET. We will train tomorrow morning and start his preparation. From tomorrow, with all effect he will start his life as a Milan player.'Ronie has nothing but the right motivation because if he went to another foreign country he would have been paid more. He picked the more difficult solution and less well paid. He really wants to do well. I have spoken to him a lot lately and he is very motivated. Hopefully, the real Ronaldo will return, the one who is 'The Phenomenon'.President Berlusconi has been kept in the loop very closely and knew the second after the deal was signed. The president deserves a big thank-you for once again providing the finances needed. We have two new stars, as we have replaced Jaap Stam with Massimo Oddo and Andriy Shevchenko with Ronaldo. It is very exciting to have Ronaldo arrive, because of who he is, for all he has done and because he has written his own piece in the history of football. He has scored a lot of goals in Madrid and Real have officially thanked him for that. He's a real star and has also done well at Real. I am really pleased for him and Oddo, it looks like Milan can lift its head after what happened in the summer as we all know. I believe that Ronaldo should be well-received in Milan and I will only say that intelligent people cannot but understand that after five years a player can change clubs as lots of players do every year.'As for Kakà, we didn't speak about him. I have a good relationship with Calderon, Mihatovic and Baldini. Something might happen with Ricardo Oliveria but I don't think so. I am not denying there has been negotiations, a loan deal with Real having the chance to buy but I don't think that will take off. So, that's why Ricardo Oliveira stayed in Milan.'
February 1, 200718 yr RONIE MAKES HEADLINESRonaldo's move to Milan makes headline news right across the Italian press as well as around the worldGAZZETTA DELLO SPORTFront page: Done deal - Rossoneri pay 7.5 million: will rise to 8m with Champions League RONALDO: 'I leave a bit of my heart at Real. I thank the fans, my team-mates and all the coaches I have had, except one. My desire now is to win in Milan at the second time.'CORRIERE DELLO SPORTFront page: MILAN: RONALDO AND CARACCIOLO - 'The Phenomenon' is a Rossonero: ' I come to win.'TUTTOSPORTFront Page: THE PHENOMENON HAPPY TO BE IN MILAN AND AWAY FROM CAPELLOCORRIERE DELLA SERAFront Page: RONALDO JOINS MILAN: 7.5 MILLION - Ronaldo moves for 7.5 million. Here until June, 2008.LA REPUBBLICAFront page of sports section: HERE'S RONALDO - At Milan until 2008IL GIORNALEOpening page of sports section: GALLIANI ON RONALDO: 'LIKE MALDINI AND STAY AT MILAN UNTIL 40'IL GIORNOFront page: RONALDO IS OFFICIALLY A ROSSONERO: I'AM IN MILAN TO BE THE PHENOMENON AGAIN'
February 1, 200718 yr RONIE TRAINS WITH TEAM Ancelotti and Ronaldo worked together closely in today's training session Training started at 11am CET this morning at Milanello. The morning training took on a double focus with a light session in the gym for those that played last night and the rest of the group working outside. The first part of training was devoted to warm-ups, stretching and slow paced running. Kakha Kaladze and Yoann Gourcuff worked on strength building. Christian Brocchi worked in the gym and then went outside to run with Dario Simic. The remained of the team played a six-against-six practice game on the half-pitch. Ronaldo arrived at Milanello at 10.15 and went straight to the dressing rooms. He warmed up with the rest of the team and then underwent a personalized workout, running laps at various speeds around the field. Carlo Ancelotti followed Ronie closely throughout the session and every time the Brazilian stopped to rest the coach talked to him about how was doing and gave him some pointers. The coach and student seem to have a good relationship already established. Ronaldo's training session ended with sprints in the sandpit, under the watchful eyes of fitness coach Daniele Tognaccini and medical director Jean Pierre Meersseman.
February 1, 200718 yr RONALDO: 'My story continues'Ronaldo said in an interview with Brazilian website Rede Globo: 'My story continues. I would like to score many goals and once again earn a place with my national side. I am happy to be here with Milan, especially because there are five other Brazilians here. I know that in Milan's dressing room they asked if everyone wanted me here and they all replied that they did.'
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