MADRID, May 19 (Reuters) - Barcelona president Joan Laporta has
recognised that former World Player of the Year Ronaldinho needs to
leave the club if he is to revive his career.
'He (Ronaldinho) needs a new challenge. When a cycle finishes it
is normal that the most emblematic pieces also come to an end,'
Laporta told Catalan television station TV3 on Sunday night.
'I would like Ronaldinho to be given a great send-off so that he
is remembered for all he has given us and that if he didn't do any
more it was because the circumstances wouldn't allow it.' Laporta
admitted that the club might find it difficult to sell the
28-year-old Brazilian, who suffered a series of injury and fitness
problems this season and made the starting line-up in just 13 of
the club's 38 league matches.
Ronaldinho last played for Barcelona in the 2-1 loss at home to
Villarreal on March 9, but began complaining of muscle pain in his
right leg soon afterwards and has been out of action ever since. AC
Milan expressed their interest in signing Ronaldinho and the
player's brother Robert De Assis said they had reached an agreement
over personal terms. But the Serie A club later said they had been
unable to agree a fee with Barcelona.
Ronaldinho joined Barcelona in 2003, immediately reviving the
morale of a club that had not won a major trophy since 1999. He
helped Barca win back-to-back league titles in 2005 and 2006 and
the Champions League.
Laporta also said the club had decided to reject the possibility
of appointing Jose Mourinho as coach and opted for former player
Pep Guardiola as Frank Rijkaard's replacement because the
ex-Chelsea coach would not have suited Barcelona. 'We decided that
if Frank did not continue then we would choose Guardiola because
Pep possessed the necessary humility,' said Laporta. 'We didn't
think about coaches like Mourinho or (Rafa) Benitez, who are both
great coaches, but they aren't right for Barcelona.
So we told Rijkaard that when he left Guardiola would take his
place.' Laporta denied that former player and coach Johan Cruyff
had vetoed Mourinho's appointment, but admitted that he had given
his opinion about the Portuguese. 'They are private conversations
between him and me and I'm not going to reveal them. What I can say
is that Cruyff is a fervent supporter of Pep.' Barcelona have not
won any silverware for the past two seasons. They finished third in
the Primera Liga this season, 10 points behind Villarreal and 18
adrift of champions Real Madrid.