If you will cast your mind back to last October, you may remember a minor hubbub over the fate of some of the Spain-based Brazilian internationals, who were late getting their flight back to Iberia.

Amidst embarassed mumblings from those involved of missed connections and mis-read timetables, the truth - or a souped-up tabloid version of the truth, at least - eventually filtered out. It seemed that a segment of the Brazilian squad had opted to celebrate their 5-0 victory over Ecuador that week with a trip to 'Catwalk', one of their country's most exclusive nitespots.

The Brazilian media was awash with tales of wine, women, song - some also claimed that drugs were involved - and the Seleção's finest were in the thick of it.

Zooming in on two players in particular, it emerged that Robinho - with Real Madrid teammate Julio Baptista as his accomplice - had apparently requested forty condoms as part of his evening's entertainment. Across the dancefloor, Ronaldinho, while perhaps somewhat less amorous that evening, also partied into the small hours.

In any case, the two R's boogied into the night, and consequently missed their flight. In scenes no doubt reminiscent of 'Planes, Trains and Automobiles' - and I'm not saying which one was John Candy and which was Steve Martin - they eventually made it home. Upon their returns to their respective clubs, though, both were dropped for their weekend matches - quietly dropped, but dropped nonetheless.

Since then, however, Robinho has well and truly pulled his socks up, and while he's no doubt still a virile young man (with all that follows), he has adopted a much more professional attitude. This is reflected in his performances, in which he continues to impress. Whether it was down to a stern talking-to from Bernd Schuster or the birth of his first child, the young winger has turned his attitude around.

Let us leave Robinho to his success and look at our other subject, Ronaldinho, for the contrast between the two could scarcely be greater.

Let The Good Times Roll

Ronaldinho was once famously described as being able to "start a party in an empty house", and certainly the ever-smiling, perma-chilled Brazilian exudes the disposition of one who enjoys a good time now and again. Indeed, last year's Catwalk shenanigans were no doubt the latest in a long line of night-time escapades for the Brazilian. And some may well ask - quite legitimately - what is wrong with that.

On the surface of it, it is not a problem. Certainly professionalism footballers, with their celebrity status, ample free time and (in the case of the lucky 1%) an improbably large bank account, have not only the desire to cut loose shared by all young men, but the means to do in unimaginable style. Ronaldinho is no exception, and as the good times rolled at Barcelona, he no doubt felt entitled to a night on the tiles now and again.

To this end, his trainers and medical staff may once have turned something of a blind eye to any occasional excesses. As he led the blaugrana to the Champions League final and on to victory, who could possibly have grudged him his various passions? Let the young man be a young man.

But what we see now is very different. Perhaps the rot set in at the start of last season, when Ronaldinho became less and less involved in first team training and took more to the gym, where he could work alone and - some would argue - with less intensity. His decision to do so was most likely not entirely down to his weakness for a big night out - indeed he quite probably partied less than he used to - but certainly the way the club once indulged him over this cannot have helped.

And as Ronaldinho trained less, the club made more excuses. "He has a slight injury," was the mantra heard with tedious regularity, and he became less and less involved in first team affairs.

Serious Business

Then came summer, and after the failure to lift any meaningful title, we were told that there would be a few changes around Camp Nou. The players would train together - they would work in the gym only if instructed to do by the medical staff - and professionalism would be the watchword.

That lasted maybe four months in 'Dinho's case. Certainly it did not extend to the New Year, and not to this month. For last Wednesday, some of the Barça squad threw a party for Lionel Messi, who was going away to Argentina in order to recover from his own injury.

That is an understandable, even laudable situation. It shows tremendous spirit that even a temporary absence would be feted in such a way. But it is rumoured that Ronaldinho partied so hearty that he was quite unable to train the next day, lasting around six minutes before retreating from the communal training pitch.

These are newspaper rumours, of course, and were denied by the club. The official line was that the player's complaints of injury were being taken seriously, and as such he missed the weekend draw at Almeria.

Fast-forward to this week, and the club's medical report indicated that Ronaldinho's alleged right-leg injury was, if not quite made up, then certainly not of any significance. An MRI scan showed no damage to his afflicted area, with the medical document adding, as if by way of excuse, that the player may yet still be "troubled" by it.

The subtext was clear: while 'Dinho may have a bit of discomfort, at his core there is nothing wrong with him. And yet he did not play on Sunday, and he will not play on Thursday in Valencia.

Keeping Up Appearances

In the past, no doubt the club would have taken greater steps to conceal the above, but the news of the MRI scan was quite clearly printed on the medical document. Again, a subtext: no more excuses for Ronaldinho.

For some, this couldn't have come any sooner. The heavily pro-Barcelona newspaper Sport, in fact, was so shocked by the medical report that they used the controversial headline: "Ronaldinho, unmasked!" Meanwhile, El Periodico de Catalunya, a publication which counts Johan Cruyff as one of its columnists, would no doubt have enjoyed a frisson of satisfaction after their rumours regarding the Wednesday night party were apparently borne out.

It is jaw-dropping that two publications that have no small measure of partisan loyalty towards Barcelona would so openly turn on what was once the club's golden boy, but many will not blame them for doing so. It seems that the local media have just lost patience.

But of course, controversy sells papers, even those papers that support a particular side. It is nothing new to see the media build someone up and then tear them down. Yet Ronaldinho, lovable Ronaldinho, whom no true football fan can deny has given them at least one moment of joy, has always been a special case, and to be harsh on him is a major incident indeed.

And that is why the importance of the club's actions, too, cannot be underestimated. For how long have we listened to player after player declare that 'Dinho is still the world's best, still motivated, and still able to one day return to world-class form? Frank Rijkaard, even, seemingly repeats the same thing at every press conference - including today's. But do they really believe it anymore?

Certainly the medical staff are giving off the vibe that they do not. Even if he is not partying as much as they used to, they may feel that he's not doing as much as he could to help his condition improve - and for a guy who isn't getting any younger, that may be more than the docs are willing to stand.

And the coach? By omitting Ronaldinho from the sixteen this evening for "technical reasons" - for 'Dinho trained normally today and is not on the medical roster - he has sent out a message arguably more signficant than anything he says in a press conference.

As for Ronaldinho himself, he says little publicly these days. It could be that, like fellow Brazilian Adriano, he has personal problems that have seen his professional life suffer and his personal life ramp up to compensate. It is certainly possible that he is not mentally attuned to the rigours of a lengthy season in three competitions, and if this is the case, then Barcelona may need another approach in order to help him.

But even if this is the case - and that's a big if - he cannot be helped unless he's willing to put in the hard work himself. And if he doesn't do so, then the party may well and truly be over.

Ewan Macdonald, Goal.com

原文地址：http://www.goal.com/en/articolo.aspx?contenutoid=627524