Ronaldinho Going To The Olympics Without Permission

The troubled superstar has vowed to rediscover his fitness and form in order to appear in China even though the Blaugrana have said that he cannot go.

That move will heap more pressure on the club at a time when matters off the pitch are overshadowing all others and Ronaldinho knows that he could gain public sympathy.

"I feel very positive and I am not thinking about anything that is not good," he told a press conference. "I am imagining myself at the Games doing good, playing well and bringing back the gold medal.

"I am going to give special attention to my training and preparation. I am focussed on the work that I will carry out with Professor Paixao.

"I have great confidence that I will go the Olympics in good shape and that is a great motivation to train. I have not played for a long time and I really do miss it.

"That is why I want to work hard and be ready and I am not thinking about if someone is going to stop me or try and block me from going to Beijing."

Ronaldinho has been told by Barcelona that he can leave the club and that has influenced his decision to ignore their demands to not go to the Olympics.

Over the past two seasons, the Brazilian's former and weight have fallen away as he has missed numerous training sessions at Barça after being allowed to choose when he attended team sessions.

Now he is keen to bounce back and a strong showing in China may earn him the move he wants, after seeing his dream move to AC Milan fail to materialise yet.

Lucas Brown, Goal.com