Ronaldinho is set to make his first competitive start in more than a decade when Ravenna face Forli on Sunday, a notable moment for a player who once won the Ballon d'Or with Barcelona and later starred for AC Milan.
The former Brazil great, now 46, joined Ravenna in August as an investor and as part of the Serie C club's setup. His last competitive appearance came for Fluminense in September 2015, which makes Sunday's match in Italy a significant return to the starting lineup.
Ravenna are second in the table after 13 matches, so the club's focus is not only on the occasion but also on the result. Andrea Mandorlini said on Friday that Ronaldinho will start against Forli and added that the plan is to decide together how long he plays.
Mandorlini also said Ronaldinho will be one of Ravenna's three forwards. That fits the club's regular shape and gives the team a chance to use one of the most recognizable players of the modern era in a competitive setting rather than a ceremonial one.
A return with a clear target
The comeback is tied to a specific personal target as well. Earlier this year, Ignazio Cipriani said Ronaldinho's objective was to score his last goal and reach 300 career goals. Cipriani also said the involvement was not meant to be a token gesture or a marketing stunt, which underlines how seriously the club is treating the arrangement.
There is also a practical football reason for the buzz around the match. Supporters are expected in larger numbers at Stadio Bruno Benelli, where a temporary stand has been created to handle the crowd. For Ravenna, that means Sunday's game is about more than nostalgia. It is a league match with real table implications, and Ronaldinho's first start could make it one of the most closely watched Serie C fixtures of the weekend.
If Ronaldinho does take the field from the opening whistle, it will be a rare competitive appearance for a player whose name still carries weight years after his peak. More than a decade after his last start-level action, Ravenna now get the spotlight, and Ronaldinho gets another chance to chase one last landmark.
