Rivaldo has joined AEK Athens on a free transfer from
bitter city rivals Olympiacos. The 35-year-old Brazilian has put
pen to paper on a two-year contract with Greek Super League
runners-up AEK, who are keen to mount another assault on the
Champions League next season and challenge Olympiacos' dominance of
the domestic title which they have won for nine of the past 10
seasons.
It is a signing which is sure to spark controversy after Rivaldo's
fall-out with Olympiacos over his contract extension at the Pireaus
club. The player himself said he was looking forward to helping AEK
compete for the Greek title. "I decided to accept AEK's proposal
because it is a team with ambitions. I have left a big club to join
another big club," said Rivaldo, who won the title in each of his
three seasons at the Georgios Karaiskakis Stadium.
"Apart from the fact that AEK is a big club, a key factor for my
decision is that my family is very happy here in Athens. "The only
thing I want to add is that the fans will see a Rivaldo with an
appetite to win and to become a champion again." Rivaldo is AEK's
fourth signing of the close season, following the arrivals of
Rodolfo Arrubarrena, Tamandani Nsaliwa and Edson and the move sees
the former FIFA World Player of the Year reunited with coach
Lorenzo Serra Ferrer, who Rivaldo also worked under at
Barcelona.
