Ravenna is Ronaldinho-day: 'I am experiencing a special moment in my life'

Finishing session under the spotlight for Ravenna, on the eve of the derby with Forlì, the most anticipated ever. It was in fact the day of Ronaldinho's first and only training session, awaited by his return to the pitch and the hunt for goal number 300 of his career, after 11 years of inactivity, with the last official match played in 2015. At 46 years old, the Brazilian champion returns to the pitch and trained with his teammates in the last half hour of the finishing supported by Andrea Mandorlini's team: torino, placed shots and shots on goal, and a spectacular stop filmed by the cameras, inside a session that was open to the press for a quarter of an hour, as happens for UEFA events, before the matches in the European Cups or national teams.

"I'm here to experience this special moment in my life. I have the opportunity to be together with young footballers and I'm happy for this - Dinho declared to the microphones of Rai and Sky -. This is a completely different opportunity and I know derbies well: my first goal in Italy against Inter remains special. I'm happy, after a long time experiencing all this is beautiful. Many years ago, when I finished playing, I realized that I had won everything I had dreamed of. Now I'm 46 years old and I've felt everything inside football: this is a completely different opportunity, it means being part of the dream of many friends who work for Ravenna."

Dinner with his teammates, training and now the big day has arrived, the match day, with the Ronaldinho Day kick-off at 5.30pm at the Benelli stadium in Ravenna for the Serie C Romagna derby with Forlì valid for the 14th matchday and with Ravenna second in the standings chasing league leaders Spezia, 6 points away. Ravenna needs to win, but intends to enjoy Ronaldinho, the last match and the spotlight that the champion can give to the square. He could play from the first minute, declared Andrea Mandorlini, who will speak with his number 10 to decide his use and role: "We play with three forwards so he will be in the front three, we will adapt a bit to him, who will be free to find his position". For Dinho, overwhelmed by requests for interviews, autographs, selfies, the return to the field is a show: more than 100 requests for accreditation from all over the world, the Serie C derby broadcast in England, Brazil, Asia, the Arab world, like a match of Barcelona, ​​Milan, PSG or Brazil. Everyone is crazy about Ronaldinho, even at 46 years old and after 11 years of inactivity, with 7,000 present at the 'Benelli' tomorrow and many more in front of the screens to see him touch the ball perhaps for the last time in an official match that counts.