Scolari backs struggling Ronaldinho to roll back years

 
Andy Hodgson7 February 2013

Luiz Felipe Scolari insists Ronaldinho will be given another chance to prove he has a future in international football.

The two-time FIFA World Player of the Year struggled to justify his inclusion in Scolari’s Brazil squad a year after his last cap.

The former Barcelona star was a peripheral figure at Wembley last night and had a penalty saved by Joe Hart before being replaced at half-time.

To make matters worse, the 32-year-old wasn’t even Brazil’s designated penalty taker.

“It was established that Neymar would take the penalties but he was changing his shin pad, or something like that,” Scolari told reporters.

“Ronaldinho took the ball and nobody is going to ask a player of that experience and with that calibre to back down and let somebody else take it.”

Even taking into account that the Brazilian season has only just started and he is not fully match fit, Ronaldinho’s performance was so ponderous that it raised questions about the wisdom of Scolari’s decision to recall him to the team.

However, the former Chelsea boss said that Ronaldinho would be given another chance to stake his claim ahead of next year’s World Cup.

“He has played 90 minutes for the first time this year last week, so it’s to be expected that he is not fully in the condition that he wants,” said Scolari. “But if he continues working normally, he will make the next squad.”

Brazil return to London on March 25 for a friendly against Fabio Capello’s Russia at Stamford Bridge.

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