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Some Ronaldinho magic

Good afternoon folks. I’m finishing up the Weekend Soccer on TV post and will have that up soon. For now, enjoy Ronaldinho’s 90th-minute game-winner for AC Milan in UEFA Cup action against Sporting Braga on Thursday:

[youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WHo616L_m9o&hl=en&fs=1]

Comments

  1. The problem with attendance at Italian football matches isn’t all about violence and the grip that ultra groups have on tickets. There are no blackouts on Sky Italia, like the NFL in the states, and the HD presentation is so good people stay home to watch. Every time I’ve seen a match at the San Siro, it’s been at least 90% attended, although there are some clubs like Roma who are struggling to fill their multi-purposed stadiums – which because of design place the fan further away from the action. You will notice when there is an English team or a Northern Italy versus Southern Italy match, that the fans are kept apart by extra unsold space in the stands. Those are the matches where the potential for violence can occur.

    Regarding Ronaldinho, he’s still only 28 and has plenty of football left in those legs. He clearly wasn’t in shape at Barca, and it was recently reported that he’s about 70% in shape and working harder than he has in years to regain his form under the AC Milan strength and conditioning program, known to be one of the best in club football. Serie A clubs take this seriously, which is why you see a number of aging players like Del Piero finding a second and third wind in their careers. He’s in precisely the best league for his career at this point, and he should become even more devastating in the second half of the season.

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  2. out of curiosity. Why does the game attendance in Italy seem so poor? even for big games like Chelsea v Roma, more than half the stadium was empty.. Doesn’t seem right for such a great league. Does it have to do with the crowd violence?

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  3. You know, I said Milan was very overrated and would finish 4th or 5th in Serie A. I have this feeling that I need to warm up my dish of crow because I just may have been wrong. 🙂 I’ll own up to my mistake more definitively as the season progresses.

    And yeah, nice goal but not on par with GOTY candidates…just a good rocket strike.

    Regards,

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  4. Jamie Z – I think you are thinking of the wrong ROnnie.

    My opinion….a damnsite nicer than any of the MLS GOTY contenders.

    Posted by: Aljarov | November 07, 2008 at 03:13 PM

    ___________________________________________

    Oh, I know exactly who I’m talking about. Ronaldo Sr. doesn’t have a monopoly on being a talented, unfit Brazilian with personal issues. Just ask Little Ronnie. and Adriano.

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  5. Couple of crackers yesterday in the UEFA Cup. There was Dinho’s, Tom Huddlestone’s volley from the corner, and Robinho’s curler. All stunning goals.

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  6. Good day for the Brazilians, as Robinho scored impressively (again) as well. Ronnie doesn’t quite control the flow of play quite like he once did, but he remains an absolutely devestating striker of the ball, whether passing, shooting, or taking free kicks (like his goal over the weekend) and he still has a field vision that I think is unmatched. Whether he can again impose himself on the world like he once did remains to be seen, but he’s certainly worth the price of admission.

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  7. Coop and Dale,

    Definitely. He’s improved and showed flashes of the old Ronnie D. I think if he starts to gain confidence and has fun he’ll be the best player in the world….again.

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  8. Coop,

    from what i’ve seen, his play is nowhere near what it was when he was definitively the world’s best player, but he has improved in the last couple of months and is playing solidly, and has even started producing some moments of brilliance. he is playing much better than he was with barca/brazil over the last year.

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  9. Absolutely drilled, well taken.

    Aljarov, not so fast. I think Gallardo’s goal as well as Angel’s compare. Of course, neither of them did it in the UEFA cup.

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  10. Braga played one hell of a game and continued to prove that the little club from Northern Portugal can compete with the giants of Europe. That’s the real story of that game. Ronaldinho is playing pretty well since going to AC Milan. Wonderful goal.

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