Milan derby for Ronaldinho

AC Milan president Silvio Berlusconi said yesterday that his club is holding talks with Barcelona on a possible transfer of Barcelona playmaker Ronaldinho (28). He told that Milan vice president Adriano Galliani was going to meet Barcelona president Joan Laporta in Barcelona on Tuesday, but that the meeting was postponed when Laporta unexpectedly had to fly to the United States.

Catalan sports paper El Mundo Deportivo nevertheless reports that Laporta did not leave Barcelona this week and that the meeting probably was cancelled because of the little crisis Barcelona went through after last weekend's 0-0 against Getafe. Galliani confirmed that the supper was planned and said in an interview with Italian sports paper La Gazzetta dello Sport that the two clubs will talk next week.

A talkative Berlusconi said earlier this week that Milan is doing everything that is possible to sign Ronaldinho and that the player only wants to join Milan: "He has said that he won't go to any team but the world champions." One of the reasons for Ronaldinho's Milan preference would be that the Brazilian could meet up with a lot of compatriotes. And Berlusconi assured that every player is treated well in Milan.

Galliani said today to Italian sports paper La Gazzetta dello Sport that he is convinced Milan will be able to close the deal: "Of course, we should take into account that Ronaldinho has a contract will Barcelona. But when he decides to leave and his club let him, then he will come to Milan."

Meanwhile, Inter Milan seems to have taken up their interest for Ronaldinho. Italian sports paper Il Corriere dello Sport claims that American sports supplier Nike is behind the renewed interest. Ronaldinho is one of the main players having a contract with the company.

Nike representatives would have contacted Roberto de Assís, brother and agent of Ronaldinho, to communicate their preference for the Inter option, since the latter is sponsored by Nike, while Milan has a contract with German sports supplier Adidas. The paper says that Roberto and Inter Milan president Massimo Moratti have scheduled a meeting for newt week.

Inter Milan CEO Ernesto Paolillo said on Tuesday in an interview with Italian sports paper La Gazzetta dello Sport that his club is not rushing anything: "This is a time when you look around and you try to see what the market is offering. At the end of the season, our bookkeepers will inform us on the financial situation and then we can really move."

But asked about Ronaldinho, Paolillo suggested a contact between the club and the player: "We can always receive phone calls, so we're keeping our ears wide open. But we didn't start any negotiations yet." For the paper this is the confirmation that Inter sports director Marco Branca has called Roberto de Assís in an attempt to rejoin the race for Ronaldinho. Milan vice president Galliani ironically referred to the phone call when asked about Inter's interest in Ronaldinho in an interview with Italan sports paper La Gazzetta dello Sport: "I know about every phone call that Mister Branca does..."

Inter president Moratti played down the rivalry between the two teams this afternoon. Although admitting his club is following Ronaldinho, he seemed to exclude a bid race: "We are interested in every great player, but we're not desperate. I don't think there will be a heated derby."

La Gazzetta dello Sport claims that Inter will offer Barcelona 25 million euro for the Brazilian international, which would be 5 million euro more than what AC Milan would be prepared to pay. Italian sports paper Tuttosport claims that Barcelona president Joan Laporta has promised his Inter counterpart the right of first refusal when Ronaldinho will be sold.

pep's opinion:
Berlusconi is campaigning for the Italian elections this weekend, hope his interest for Ronaldinho doesn't suddenly fade away next week...

(read more on the Ronaldinho transfer story here)