Barcelona drop Ronaldinho after late return from Brazil

AFP - 19 October 2007 16:56

Barcelona midfielder Ronaldinho, seen here on 2 October, will be dropped for the Spanish league match against Villarreal on 20 October because he failed to make a training session due to his late arrival back from Brazil.

MADRID (AFP) - Barcelona midfielder Ronaldinho will be rested for Saturday's match against Villarreal because he failed to make a training session due to his late arrival back from Brazil, the club said Friday.

"The Brazilian, who took part in Brazil's crushing victory over Ecuador, did not return in time to join the last preparation session before the match on Saturday at Villarreal," Barcelona said in a statement.

"The manager Frank Rijkaard decided not to include him in the line-up for this encounter."

Ronaldinho, the 2005 Footballer of the Year, has struggled for form this season. But he was on the scoresheet when Brazil hammered Ecuador 5-0 in Rio de Janeiro Wednesday in a qualifying game for the 2010 World Cup finals.

Barcelona are in second place behind Real Madrid and ahead of Villarreal in the Spanish league. The team travels to Glasgow on Tuesday to face Rangers in the Champions League.

Real Madrid will also rest Brazilians Robinho and Julio Baptista, who both arrived late back from international duty, for their match at Espanyol on Saturday.