All eyes on Ronaldinho
Ap, Newark
While FC Barcelona is ostensibly using their upcoming U.S. tour to prepare for the defence of their Spanish League and Champions League titles, a more pressing question is sure to be on the minds of many who will see them play:What's up with Ronaldinho? While Barcelona's lineup is stocked with elite players such as Argentina's Lionel Messi and African player of the year Samuel Eto'o, the most attention figures to be focused on the long-haired Brazilian, the two-time FIFA world player of the year. After a sparkling season in which he helped Barcelona win the Champions League with a come-from-behind victory over Arsenal in the final, Ronaldinho was held scoreless in the World Cup and shouldered a good share of the blame for favoured Brazil's surprising quarterfinal exit. Some publications referred to him as the Cup's biggest flop. Barcelona coach Frank Rijkaard expects his star player to regain his form. "It's part of the life of a sportsman that you have these moments," Rijkaard said Thursday. "You have to go on. I expect a lot from players like Ronaldinho. They know they have to start working again as a team, and I'm sure they will perform quite well." The tour will take Barcelona to the Los Angeles Coliseum to face Mexico's Chivas de Guadalajara on Aug. 6; to Houston's Reliant Stadium on Aug. 9 to face Mexico's Club America, and to Giants Stadium on Aug. 12 to face the New York Red Bulls of Major League Soccer in coach Bruce Arena's Red Bulls debut. It will be Barcelona's first visit to the U.S. since 2003 when they went 1-1-1 against European clubs Juventus, AC Milan and Manchester United. Some elite clubs have come under criticism -- occasionally from their own players -- for scheduling foreign tours during the summer months between league seasons. Players like Ronaldinho play in their country's league, the Champions League and in other international tournaments in an average year, not to mention the World Cup every four years. Barcelona is trying to fend off fatigue by having players who played in the World Cup join the team in the U.S., after the rest of the team trains in Denmark. "I understand the concern. It was a very long season," Rijkaard said. "The players who are joining the team in the U.S. have had a good vacation, a good rest. They've had nearly a month off, and before the World Cup they had a week vacation." Promoters for the event said Thursday that 100,000 tickets had already been sold for the three games.
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