Mad Dogg
Juniors
- Messages
- 2,358
Rivaldo released
sportinglife.com
Rivaldo's move to AC Milan was supposed to be a marriage made in heaven. On Friday it ended in a sad and inevitable divorce.
The Brazilian requested to have his contract terminated after just over a season of frustration, and lack of first team opportunities, at the San Siro and the club eagerly accepted, no doubt delighted to have got the experienced playmaker off the wage bill.
So what next for a player whose stock has fallen dramatically over the past 12 months?
Real Madrid have been mentioned as a potentially interested party, although those rumours were started by Ronaldo's admission that he would like the chance to link up with his international colleague.
Rivaldo himself insists he has nothing in the pipeline although he did admit there had been interest from the English Premiership.
"Is Real (Madrid) my future club? At the moment all the offers I have received are coming from England," he said at a press conference in Milan on Friday afternoon.
"I am not thinking of the future now, because my primary concern was to conclude my contract with Milan."
Interested clubs may be put off by Rivaldo's revelation that he won't be able to take part in top level European competition this season.
The player explained: "I know it will not be easy to find a team having played the last 15 minutes of the Super Cup in Monte Carlo. Therefore, I will not be able to play in the Champions League."
The World Cup winner, who leaves Milan with a Champions League medal in addition to claiming further silverware in both the Coppa Italia and the European Super Cup, made just 22 league appearances for the Rossoneri as coach Carlo Ancelotti preferred Portuguese international Rui Costa in the attacking midfielder role.
And after being a major player for both club and country for so long, having to settle for a place on the bench match after match eventually proved too much for the 31-year-old.
"I took this decision yesterday evening having spoken to Leonardo (former AC Milan player and now a member of the Milan board)," Rivaldo added.
"The fact that I did not play against Ancona (last week) has particularly disappointed me because it was then when I understood that my future would not have changed from last season.
"I could not stand to have very few possibilities to play. This is a personal decision. I don't look for anyone to blame. I just believe this is the right way to go."
Earlier this week he spoke of his frustration at a lack of playing time in the famous red and black shirt.
"What I am going through is humiliating," Rivaldo told Sao Paulo newspaper O Jornal da Tarde.
"At the right moment, I will say why the coach isn't allowing me to play. Now is not the time, but I can say it's not a technical, physical or psychological problem."
Rivaldo moved to Europe in August 1996 to join Deportivo La Coruna and then secured a lucrative transfer to Barcelona in 1997.
He claimed the World Player of the Year award in 1999 as well as the European Player of the Year crown before making the move to Italy.
Milan vice-president Adriano Galliani was full of praise for Rivaldo despite his move not reaping the expected benefits.
Galliani said: "I want to thank Rivaldo because he has played a part in winning three trophies that will remain in the history of Milan and his own personal CV.
--------------------------
Wonder where he'll go? At 31, he has age working against him, especially since he can't play in Europe this season. But he certainly is a talent, and since he's on a free there will probably be a few clubs who will approach him (as long as he isn't still looking for a 120 thousand pounds every week in wages :roll: ).
sportinglife.com
Rivaldo's move to AC Milan was supposed to be a marriage made in heaven. On Friday it ended in a sad and inevitable divorce.
The Brazilian requested to have his contract terminated after just over a season of frustration, and lack of first team opportunities, at the San Siro and the club eagerly accepted, no doubt delighted to have got the experienced playmaker off the wage bill.
So what next for a player whose stock has fallen dramatically over the past 12 months?
Real Madrid have been mentioned as a potentially interested party, although those rumours were started by Ronaldo's admission that he would like the chance to link up with his international colleague.
Rivaldo himself insists he has nothing in the pipeline although he did admit there had been interest from the English Premiership.
"Is Real (Madrid) my future club? At the moment all the offers I have received are coming from England," he said at a press conference in Milan on Friday afternoon.
"I am not thinking of the future now, because my primary concern was to conclude my contract with Milan."
Interested clubs may be put off by Rivaldo's revelation that he won't be able to take part in top level European competition this season.
The player explained: "I know it will not be easy to find a team having played the last 15 minutes of the Super Cup in Monte Carlo. Therefore, I will not be able to play in the Champions League."
The World Cup winner, who leaves Milan with a Champions League medal in addition to claiming further silverware in both the Coppa Italia and the European Super Cup, made just 22 league appearances for the Rossoneri as coach Carlo Ancelotti preferred Portuguese international Rui Costa in the attacking midfielder role.
And after being a major player for both club and country for so long, having to settle for a place on the bench match after match eventually proved too much for the 31-year-old.
"I took this decision yesterday evening having spoken to Leonardo (former AC Milan player and now a member of the Milan board)," Rivaldo added.
"The fact that I did not play against Ancona (last week) has particularly disappointed me because it was then when I understood that my future would not have changed from last season.
"I could not stand to have very few possibilities to play. This is a personal decision. I don't look for anyone to blame. I just believe this is the right way to go."
Earlier this week he spoke of his frustration at a lack of playing time in the famous red and black shirt.
"What I am going through is humiliating," Rivaldo told Sao Paulo newspaper O Jornal da Tarde.
"At the right moment, I will say why the coach isn't allowing me to play. Now is not the time, but I can say it's not a technical, physical or psychological problem."
Rivaldo moved to Europe in August 1996 to join Deportivo La Coruna and then secured a lucrative transfer to Barcelona in 1997.
He claimed the World Player of the Year award in 1999 as well as the European Player of the Year crown before making the move to Italy.
Milan vice-president Adriano Galliani was full of praise for Rivaldo despite his move not reaping the expected benefits.
Galliani said: "I want to thank Rivaldo because he has played a part in winning three trophies that will remain in the history of Milan and his own personal CV.
--------------------------
Wonder where he'll go? At 31, he has age working against him, especially since he can't play in Europe this season. But he certainly is a talent, and since he's on a free there will probably be a few clubs who will approach him (as long as he isn't still looking for a 120 thousand pounds every week in wages :roll: ).
