Serious doubts over Ronaldo's ability to shake off his seemingly interminable knee injuries were raised as his club Inter Milan went out of the European Cup on Wednesday, defeated in the quarter-finals by Manchester United 3-1, and snuffed out their last chance of a trophy this season. Inter is eighth in the league and have failed to win in their last nine matches. Coach Mircea Lucescu's gamble of fielding Ronaldo clearly backfired. The Brazilian only truly threatened the United goal once he had been replaced by young Nicola Ventola, scorer of Inter’s only goal. Thee growing fear at Inter seems to be that Ronaldo will never again produce the explosive skills which established him as the world's finest player. He has been striving to regain his fitness in the gym and the swimming pool but looked sluggish against United and was easily contained by their fullbacks. The intense pressure on the Brazilian has led some observers in Italy to wonder if he will ever find a cure for his tender knees if he is always forced back into action prematurely. Lucescu and Inter president Massimo Moratti will have to decide whether to play Ronaldo in their nine remaining league matches, or send him back to the physios in an effort to have him at his best again for the start of next season's campaign.

Inter Milan's Ronaldo appears certain to start Wednesday's European Cup quarter-final second leg against Manchester United even though he is still not fully fit. "I'm not at 100 percent and everyone knows it," the Brazilian told reporters at Inter's training camp.

Ronaldo has been left out of Brazil's 20-man squad for a brief tour of the Far East at his own request. Coach Wanderley Luxemburgo said on Friday he had spoken to Ronaldo, whose season with Inter Milan has been plagued by injury, and he had asked not be to included. ``I will not put pressure on Ronaldo, he needs time to get himself ready again.'' Ronaldo has played only 38 minutes' football in the past two months but now appears to be fully fit. He is expected to play in the second half of Saturday's Italian championship derby against AC Milan.

Injured Brazilian striker Ronaldo is almost certain to miss Inter Milan's Champions' League quarter-final against Manchester United next week. Club president Massimo Moratti said Ronaldo has improved, but will no play until he is completely healed. The 22-year-old has suffered from tendinitis of the knee since the beginning of the season.

Ronaldo is out of Inter Milan's Italian Cup quarter-final away to Lazio on Thursday, bringing his total of matches missed to 14. Still trying to shake off knee tendon problems aggravated during the World Cup in France, Ronaldo hopes to return to the side for Sunday's league match away to Vicenza and for next week's decisive Champions League tie away to Austrian side Sturm Graz. Inter again took the opportunity to criticise the Brazilian Federation's handling of Ronaldo during the World Cup and said,"The truth is that Ronaldo played for Brazil (during the World Cup) thanks to the "help" of painkillers and anti-inflammatory pills which eased the pain but which, at the end of the day, seriously compromised his complete recovery." Ex-Inter coach Simoni had suggested that he might not have lost his job if Ronaldo had been regularily fit and available this autumn. "I respect Simoni as a person and a friend to us all but I have also the right to be injured," Ronaldo said. "Inter have some great players and could have played better even without me."

Inter Milan's Brazilian striker Ronaldo says he is suffering from a chronic knee injury that could force him to limit the number of matches he plays. Tendon problems in both knees plagued Ronaldo during the World Cup and have contributed to him missing 13 of Inter's 22 games so far this season. Ronaldo came back into the side for last Wednesday's 3-1 Champions' League win against Real Madrid but aggravated his knee problems in that match, forcing him out of Inter's 2-1 home win against Salernitana on Sunday. "He's a bit sore just now and therefore his recovery has to be handled with extreme care," said Inter coach Simoni, "improvising a schedule according to his needs."

Three days after suffering one of their worst defeats in the club's history(5-3 to Lazio), Inter will have to save their reputation and possibly also the job of coach Gigi Simoni against a Spartak Moscow side who have won both games so far in Group C. Much will depend on Ronaldo's contribution to the cause. Struggling with knee tendon trouble, the Brazilian hasn't played since he cracked home a match-winning penalty against Piacenza on September 20. But he is ready for at least 45 minutes' worth on Wednesday night against Spartak. "I know I'll be coming back at a difficult time," said Ronaldo, "but I just hope I can help Inter. Spartak are a first-rate team and they have very good players. But we have to win at all costs.

Ronaldo scolded his country's federation on Thursday for questioning his fitness. The Inter Milan striker said he was angry at indications the federation was considering recalling him to the Brazil squad before the team's next friendly to allow team doctors to examine him. Ronaldo has barely played this season for Inter and reportedly suffered convulsions immediately prior to the World Cup final defeat by France. He hoped originally to return this weekend against Lazio but is still suffering tendon trouble in both knees. The star is back in light training but is not yet back lifting weights. "When I feel ready I will announce my return," Ronaldo promised

Ronaldo should not have been asked to play in the World Cup final against France when he was clearly unwell, Inter Milan owner Massimo Moratti said on Tuesday. Moratti believes that Ronaldo's convulsive fit before the match was due to the huge amount of pressure and expectations put on the 21-year-old superstar. Although a recurring knee injury has limited Ronaldo to just three competitive games this season for Inter, Moratti is confident the Brazilian will soon be back at his best. "Ronaldo's condition is good. He has missed a few games because we preferred him to heal carefully and well." Ronaldo is considered doubtful for Inter's next match, against Lazio on October 18.

Inter Milan will be without both Ronaldo and Roberto Baggio when they meet Austrian side Sturm Graz in the European Cup Champions' League on Wednesday. They have been ruled out of the San Siro game by recurring knee problems. Inter know only too well that they badly need a win to atone for a disappointing start in Serie A and the Champions' League.

Ronaldo's game coming together

Ronaldo, playing his first Italian league match of the season, converted a second-half penalty to give Inter Milan a hard-fought 1-0 victory over Piacenza at the San Siro on Sunday. The Brazilian sent Valerio Fiore the wrong way from the penalty spot and showed enough glimpses of his old form to momentarily silence the criticism that followed last week's poor display in Inter's Champions' League defeat to Real Madrid. "I hope to get back to being the Ronaldo of last season or even better," said the 1998 World player of the year, still searching for his best form after suffering a fit on the day of Brazil's World Cup final to France last July.

Serie A not for Ronaldo?

After a lousy World Cup, Inter Milan's Ronaldo is under such intense scrutiny that he's hinted he would be happier playing in Brazil. Some are even questioning whether the would's top soccer player is "burnt out" at age 21.

Rusty Ronaldo Returns

Playing for the first time since a disappointing World Cup final, Brazilian star Ronaldo was rusty yesterday as Internazionale of Milan beat Cesena 1-0 in an Italian Cup game. Ronaldo, back form what he has called the longest layoff of his career, stayed in the game for the full 90 minutes and showed only glimpses of the form that has earned him two straight FIFA world player of the year awards.

Ronaldo cleans up at UEFA

On Thursday Night at UEFA's gala dinner on the day the draw for this season's Champion' League was made, Ronaldo was awarded the trophies for best forward and most valuable player in the 1997-98 European season. He helped Inter Milan win the UEFA Cup in May. Inter, runners-up to Juventus in the Serie A championship, were drawn to meet European Cup holders Real Madrid away in group C on the opening day of the competition on September 16. In the voting by the coaches of the 24 teams that reached the quarter-finals of Europe's three club competitons last season, Juventus' Marcello Lippi was named best trainer. Peter Schmeichel of Manchester United won the best goalkeeper award, Real Madrid's Fernando Hierro was named best defender and France's Zinedine Zidane of Juventus picked up the best midfielder award.

August 21, 1998

Ronaldo says drug didn't matter

Brazilian team doctor, Lidio Toledo, stated that Ronaldo took a tranquilizer before his team's loss in the World Cup final. Yesterday, the 21-year-old superstar confirmed that he took the sedative after suffering convutions hours before kick off, but he denied that it affected the match's outcome.

Brazil remains No. 1 but World Cup champion France has vaulted 15 places into second spot, according to the FIFA world soccer rankings released today. Other big movers are are No. 4 Croatia(up 15 places from previous rankings) and No. 8 the Netherlands(up 17). England dropped five spots to No. 10 while Mexico dropped five spots to No. 12. The top ten is Brazil, France, Germany, Croatia, Argentina, Czech Republic, Yugoslavia, the Netherlands, Italy and England

Brazil's team doctor says soccer star Ronaldo took a tranquilizer before his country's 3-0 defeat in the World Cup final to France last month. World Cup Soccer magazine qouted Lidio Toledo as saying Ronaldo took the sedative after suffering a convulsion a few hours before kickoff. "He gave me half a bluey tablet before I went to the clinic," Ronaldo was quoted in saying. The magazine suggested that could explain why the 21-year-old Ronaldo, rated the best player in the world last season, looked so sluggish in the game.

English champions Arsenal are supposed to be hot on the hunt for a star striker, but coach Arsene Wenger says he's not interested in Ronaldo. The Brazilian superstar says he wants to leave Italy's Serie A to play in England one day, either for Arsenal of Manchester United,. But Wenger says he would rather stick with 19-year-old Nicolas Anelka because of his talent and his willingness to be more of a team player. But the French coach also notes his club could not afford to sign Ronaldo, deemed the world's best player.

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