Food For Thought: Are AC Milan Over-relying On Ronaldinho?

Making Ronaldinho The Fulcrum Of Milan - A Gamble?

As this columnist had observed long back, Ronaldinho and Kaka cannot play together in the same team at the same time and the latter's departure to Real Madrid earlier in the summer must have given Ronaldinho the space, both literally and metaphorically, to explore and re-ignite himself at AC Milan.

The former two times FIFA World Player of the Year has been woefully out of form for the past two seasons and although he did excel in the beginning of the 2008-2009 campaign, a variety of factors contrived to put him back onto the bench and relegate him to the Ronaldinho of 2007-2008.

Milan coach Leonardo has already stated that the 29-year-old Brazilian international shall be given a new start and Milan have not made any moves to buy a deputy for Ronnie in the creative department.This is a clear indication that next season Milan are planning to build the team around Ronaldinho, or at least make him the creator-in-chief of their team.

Which is a gamble, isn't it? As much talented Ronaldinho is and as much he retains the audacious ability to turn the game on its head in the twinkling of an eye, the Brazilian has been off his game since the end of the 2006-2007 season and there are genuine beliefs that he is past his prime and would never become the player he was between 2003 and 2006.

So, what if Ronaldinho fails to reactivate himself? Who would enact the role of a playmaker for Milan then?

Ronaldinho, though, is already working hard to get himself back into shape, lose some weight and become fully fit again. In the last couple of seasons the man who was signed by FC Barcelona in 2003 only because they failed to land David Beckham has suffered major fitness issues and Milan have made it imperative to restore Ronnie's physical fitness.

Club supremo Silvio Berlusconi and Milan teammate Clarence Seedorf both have told Ronaldinho to work harder and it appears that the 29-year-old is following their advice. Moreover, this is a World Cup year and Ronaldinho would be eager to give his best for Milan in order to get back into the national team frame.

Ibra-Eto'o Swap Deal: Who Wins And Who Loses?

If FC Barcelona are indeed willing to part with €40 million and Aliaksandr Hleb (on loan for a season) along with Samuel Eto'o, then Inter Milan seem to benefit more.

True, in Zlatan Ibrahimovic the Italian champions would be losing the player who has been their best and most useful in the last three seasons in each of which they have won the scudetto, but in Eto'o they would have a proven goalscorer; and with the extra cash they could buy one, maybe even two, creative midfielders who in turn would ensure that the juices of creativity continue to flow at San Siro.

Ibrahimovic and Eto'o are different types of players: the former a support striker-cum-playmaker who doesn't always rely on service from the midfield while the latter is a natural goalscorer and athlete with pace who does rely on service from the midfield and functions best in a more fluid game. While Ibracadabra provides more invention upfront and would add a new dimension to Barcelona's three-pronged attack, Eto'o imports frightening pace to Inter's attack.

So on paper both sides would have what they want, but with Inter in desperate need of a playmaker, with the €40 million they can sign a world class creative midfielder, if one of such kind is still available in the transfer market. Moreover, they would have Aliaksandr Hleb on loan for one season and with the Belarusian not playing much football last season, he would be raring to prove himself for the Italian champions and this could act in favour of Jose Mourinho and Inter Milan.

Subhankar Mondal