The Brazilian had only recently returned from injury ruptured the tendons in his left knee in Milan’s 1-1 draw with Livorno on Wednesday night. The phenomenal striker collapsed in a heap as he re-lived his Roman nightmare of 2000 when he suffered the same injury to his other knee.
Empoli coach Alberto Malesani, however, is not optimistic and believes that it will be very difficult for Ronaldo to recover from his injury and continue his football career.
Malesani expressed all due grief for Ronaldo’s umpteenth injury, but admitted that the Brazilian player will find it tough to return to the playing field.
“I’m sorry for Ronaldo, I sincerely hope he returns, even though it will be very tough,” declared the former Fiorentina and Parma coach.
“I think that, after Maradona,” he continued, “he is the greatest player of the last 30 years. I’m very sorry that a serious new injury occurred to him.
“Unfortunately, in his career he suffered too many incidents and the entire football world will miss him, even though I do hope that he returns.
The surgeon who conducted the operation is more positive.
“The operation went smoothly and there were no problems, it lasted two hours. Ronaldo now has to under go rehabilitation which will be around nine months,” he declared.
“Ronaldo can get himself back to his best but that is up to him. He knows now, it’s up to him whether he decides to carry on playing or whether he stops,” the surgeon added.
Milan’s general manager Adriano Galliani has promised that the Rossoneri will be close to the Brazilian attacker in this difficult moment of his career and life.
“I spoke to Ronaldo just before he left for hospital, I confirmed to him all our affection and respect towards him, and I told him again that Milan will be close to him.
Livorno goalkeeper Marco Amelia has revealed that he heard Ronaldo’s knee make a nasty sound as it buckled and sent Il Fenomeno to the ground in absolute agony.
He was stretchered off the field after coming on a substitute two minutes earlier.
“You can’t understand the noise Ronaldo’s knee made, I heard it though,” Amelia told Sky Sport Italia.
Milan’s Daniele Bonera also revealed that Ronaldo immediately knew that it was serious. “Straight away Ronaldo told us: ‘It’s like last time’.”
It will be a huge loss to the football world should the player hang up his boots after this latest setback.
