- Title: ITALY: RONALDO RETURNS TO ITALY AFTER KNEE SURGERY.
- Date: 22nd April 2000
- Summary: MILAN, ITALY (APRIL 22, 2000) (REUTERS - ACCESS ALL) 1. VARIOUS OF PRESS WAITING OUTSIDE RONALDO'S APARTMENT BUILDING 2. RONALDO SITTING ON BENCH WITH LEG STRETCHED OVER STOOL, BESIDE YOUNG BOY WHO IS HIS NEPHEW 3. (SOUNDBITE) (Italian) RONALDO SAYING: After the disappointment this serious injury caused me, I am at home, I'm more relaxed, time passes quicker. I feel better." 4. JOURNALISTS TAKING NOTES 5. (SOUNDBITE) (Italian) RONALDO SAYING: "(Supporters) have a great admiration for me. I have been truly moved by these demonstrations (of affection). I have to thank wholeheartedly all these people who have been close to me for all their messages, their calls. This helps me a lot. It gives me great strength to return to be a great footballer." 6. CAMERAMAN 7. (SOUNDBITE) (Italian) RONALDO SAYING: "(I felt) great disillusion for all the good work, a five months long work. All the desire I had to go back to the field, all the good training, everything has been thrown away for five minutes of a match...and no one can understand the reason of my injury." 8. RONALDO SPEAKING TO PRESS 9. (SOUNDBITE) (Italian) RONALDO SAYING: " I'll go to Brazil to continue my recovery and we'll see. I'd really like not to be a protagonist in these months in which I'll be away from matches. If you allow me, I'd like to work in peace. But I'd like to be a protagonist when I'll be back on the field." 10. PRESS LEAVING CONFERENCE ROOM. Initials Script is copyright Reuters Limited. All rights reserved
- Embargoed: 7th May 2000 13:00
- Keywords:
- Location: MILAN, ITALY
- Country: Italy
- Reuters ID: LVAB2SCJ8T7XLC4O6RF2IDO9G2UJ
- Story Text: Brazilian striker Ronaldo has gone back to Italy, ten
days after undergoing surgery on his right knee in Paris.
On Saturday (April 22), the Inter Milan striker met the
press and vowed he would be great again once he had recovered
from his latest knee injury and asked for peace so he can work
hard to come back to action again in 2001.
Troubled Brazilian striker Ronaldo met the press on
Saturday (April 22), outside his apartment building near
Inter's San Siro stadium in Milan to talk about his feelings
and his future.
Ronaldo, 23, first tore the tendon in his right knee in a
minor injury in an Italian league match in November.His
comeback at Inter's Italian Cup first leg 2-1 defeat to Lazio
last week lasted just six minutes before his knee gave way
again.
Ten days after undergoing surgery with French Doctor
Gerard Salliant, at the Hospital de la Pitier-Salpetriere, in
Paris, Ronaldo wanted to thank the thousands of supporters who
expressed concern, sending him letters and e-mail messages.
"This helps me a lot.It gives me great strength to
return to be a great footballer," he said.
The former footballer of the year recalled his
disappointment with the new injury, just as he was starting to
make his awaited comeback after being sidelined for five
months.
"All the desire I had to go back to the field, all the
good training, everything has been thrown away for five
minutes of a match...and no one can understand the reason of
my injury."
Asked about his immediate plans for the future, Ronaldo
said he intended to go to Brazil in order to work on his
recovery far away from the
public eye.
"If you allow me, Id like to work in peace.But I would
like to be a protagonist when I will be back on the field," he
told the press.
Inter said last week Ronaldo would need between seven and
eight months before making a return to full-time competition,
even though the operation on his knee-cap tendon went well.
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