12/12/2007
Ronaldo out of Club World Cup

Injury-plagued striker Ronaldo has lost his battle to be fit for any of AC Milan's Club World Cup campaign, the Serie-A side's general manager Adriano Galliani said Wednesday.

"Ronaldo told us that he won't make it and that he still feels pain. He will remain in Japan to follow the games," Galliani told Italian journalists here, according to the team's website.

"On the physical problem of Ronaldo, I don't have any replies, I'm not a doctor," Galliani said on the eve of Milan's semi-final clash here with Japan's Urawa Reds.

The event's organising committee also confirmed that it has approved a request from Milan to replace Ronaldo with defender Giuseppe Favalli due to the Brazilian's injury.

Earlier Wednesday, Milan coach Carlo Ancelotti told a pre-match conference that the 31-year-old Brazilian could still figure in the final on Sunday against Argentina's Boca Juniors, who beat Tunisia's Etoile Sahel 1-0 in the other semi-final in Tokyo Wednesday.

"He cannot withstand 15 minutes on the pitch in his condition as it is now," Ancelotti said, adding: "But I believe he will recover and be ready to play sooner or later. In any case, he will have ample time until Sunday."

Galliani said: "Ronaldo is very disappointed. We removed him from the list because he asked us to do so. For his return we cannot make any predictions, because neither I nor Carlo Ancelotti are doctors."

Ronaldo had joined training Tuesday for the first time since the European Champions League winners arrived last week.

"I feel fine," he told reporters before working out alone with 30 minutes of light jogging.

Asked about his chances of playing in the final, he said: "I will see. I will be trying."

Ronaldo has played in just one match this season, starting against Cagliari two weeks ago on his return from a thigh problem.

He then injured his calf in training, and travelled here in pain with the rest of the team.

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12.12.2007 19:42 +0300
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