By David Gold
June 4 – Former double World Player of the Year Ronaldinho is suing Flamengo, whom he left last week after winning a court appeal to have his contract terminated.
The 32-year-old Brazilian star (pictured top, on left) handed in a law suit at the Justiça do Trabalho in Rio de Janeiro, and is reportedly claiming Real40 million (£12.8 million/$20 million/€15.8 million).
“Ronaldinho [from now on] is free from training and playing at Flamengo,” said Gislaine Nunes, the striker’s lawyer.
“The judge has already granted this injunction.”
Another lawyer for the player, Giovani Kurle, claimed that the reason for his contract termination was that wages were not paid on time.
The six-times Brazilian champions had been left paying Ronaldinho’s reported Real1 million (£319,000/$490,000/€394,000) a month contract without help from sponsors since January.
Marketing group Traffic had, at that point, stopped contributing the three-quarters of the player’s salary.
The much-publicised episode (pictured above) brings to a sorry end a traumatic time at the Rio de Janeiro giants for the former Barcelona star who signed from Italian Serie A club AC Milan in January 2011.
Patricia Amorim, the President of Flamengo and a former Olympic swimmer, lamented the turn of events, saying that “we did not expect an attitude like this.
“Now the case is in the hands of our legal department, which will take the necessary legal measures to defend Flamengo.
“The club is greater than any person and it is going to be like this forever.”
Ronaldinho – who won the FIFA World Player of the Year accolades in 2004 and 2005 – has endured a miserable 2012 so far, with Flamengo exiting the Copa Libertadores at the group stage, and he himself having to endure criticism from fans.
They have been unhappy with his performances while a row with Vanderlei Luxemburgo contributed to the Brazilian leaving his post as manager of the club.
Last month the club’s biggest fan group published a letter online criticising Ronaldinho for an unprofessional attitude.
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