Thursday, January 26, 2006
Ronaldinho gives Barca the Blues.
Spain (Ticker) - Barcelona star Ronaldinho has sparked controversy in Spain by selecting six Chelsea players in his European dream team - and none of his teammates on Primera Liga's top team.
Chelsea is set to face Barcelona in the Champions League next month in the beginning of the knockout stage of the competition, but Ronaldinho ignored the talents of his teammates and chose a handful of players from the Premiership champions instead.
Ronaldinho picked Czech Republic goalkeeper Petr Cech, England center-half John Terry and midfielder Frank Lampard, French anchorman Claude Makelele, and strikers Didier Drogba and Eidur Gudjohnsen to appear in his fantasy selection. Barcelona is running away with the Spanish league but the Brazilian decided there was no room for his teammates - preferring to heap the plaudits on their forthcoming opponents.
"Cech has proved at Chelsea that he is the best young goalkeeper in Europe," Ronaldinho said. "In defense, John Terry is my first choice because he is Chelsea's leader and has developed into a very sound defender. I chose Makelele simply because he is quite simply the best holding midfield player in the world and I chose Lampard because of his incredible (soccer) vision."
Ronaldinho even elected to have Gudjohnsen and Drogba as partners for Milan's Andrei Shevchenko attack.
"Shevchenko is very special," Ronaldinho added. "His individual class, quality as well as speed set him apart and make him the world's most dangerous attacker."
His European elite squad was:
Gianluigi Buffon (Juventus), Petr Cech (Chelsea), Dida (AC Milan); Cafu (AC Milan), Paolo Maldini (AC Milan), John Terry (Chelsea); Kaka (AC Milan), Frank Lampard (Chelsea), Claude Makelele (Chelsea); Didier Drogba (Chelsea), Eidur Gudjohnsen (Chelsea), Andriy Shevchenko (AC Milan).
Chelsea is set to face Barcelona in the Champions League next month in the beginning of the knockout stage of the competition, but Ronaldinho ignored the talents of his teammates and chose a handful of players from the Premiership champions instead.
Ronaldinho picked Czech Republic goalkeeper Petr Cech, England center-half John Terry and midfielder Frank Lampard, French anchorman Claude Makelele, and strikers Didier Drogba and Eidur Gudjohnsen to appear in his fantasy selection. Barcelona is running away with the Spanish league but the Brazilian decided there was no room for his teammates - preferring to heap the plaudits on their forthcoming opponents.
"Cech has proved at Chelsea that he is the best young goalkeeper in Europe," Ronaldinho said. "In defense, John Terry is my first choice because he is Chelsea's leader and has developed into a very sound defender. I chose Makelele simply because he is quite simply the best holding midfield player in the world and I chose Lampard because of his incredible (soccer) vision."
Ronaldinho even elected to have Gudjohnsen and Drogba as partners for Milan's Andrei Shevchenko attack.
"Shevchenko is very special," Ronaldinho added. "His individual class, quality as well as speed set him apart and make him the world's most dangerous attacker."
His European elite squad was:
Gianluigi Buffon (Juventus), Petr Cech (Chelsea), Dida (AC Milan); Cafu (AC Milan), Paolo Maldini (AC Milan), John Terry (Chelsea); Kaka (AC Milan), Frank Lampard (Chelsea), Claude Makelele (Chelsea); Didier Drogba (Chelsea), Eidur Gudjohnsen (Chelsea), Andriy Shevchenko (AC Milan).
