Ron's gone for good?
Last updated: 2nd April 2008
Ronaldinho: off in the summer?
Let's dispatch the fantasy of Real Madrid being stupid enough to buy an out-of sorts, depressed, unfit Ronaldinho.
Graham Hunter
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The Revista panel reckon Ronaldinho may have played his last game for Barcelona. But is Real Madrid his next port of call?
The Brazilian has been plagued by injuries and a lack of form at the Camp Nou all season and after falling out with Barcelona officials it is thought he may attempt to buy out the remainder of his own contract and move to another club for free.
Revista's Guillem Balague has been discussing the situation with sources at Barcelona and says it's likely that Ronaldinho will never play for the club again.
He said: "I think the Ronaldinho situation is such a mess that you might not see him play for Barcelona again - and that comes from somebody at the club.
"Yes, he's got these pains that stop him playing, but there was a medical report published recently that mentioned Deco and Marquez, but there was no mention at all of Ronaldinho.
"The way it's been put to me from the club is that they're not waiting for him any more.
"They'll let him join the group if he wants to return at some point in the season, but they don't want to wait.
"That could mean that Ronaldinho, having taken the decision to move on, might not be seen again in the Barcelona team."
Real rumours
Ronaldinho's brother and agent, Roberto Assis, has spoken about exercising the "Webster clause" whereby they can buy the player out of his own contract and move him on for free.
He even refused to rule out the possibility of moving to Barcelona's biggest rivals Real Madrid, but Graham Hunter told Revista that the Bernabeu club would not be interested.
And while he thinks it is "unlikely" that the Webster clause will be used, Hunter says these reports demonstrate the size of the rift that has grown between Ronaldinho and his club.
He said: "This clause is one that lets players have greater freedom of movement in their careers - even when they're under contract, given certain age and length of contract criteria.
"There is a concord between all big clubs not to use this in a bid to avoid 'another Bosman'. They want to stick together against the players and avoid opening Pandora's Box.
"Roberto Assis hinted on Brazilian television that they may try to break that concord and he specifically refused to rule out the idea that Ronaldinho might buy out his contract and move to Real Madrid.
"Let's dispatch the fantasy of Real Madrid being stupid enough to buy an out-of sorts, depressed, unfit Ronaldinho.
"But I think it tells you about the level of unhappiness and disharmony between the Ronaldinho camp and Barcelona that the brother should even contemplate saying that at a point of the season when Ronaldinho could still help the cause if he got fit"
