A Paraguayan judge ended the house arrest of former Barcelona player Ronaldinho Gaucho on Monday, freeing the way for him to return to Brazil and end a more than five-month ordeal that began when he tried to enter the country with an adulterated passport.
Paraguayan prosecutors will not charge Ronaldinho Gaucho for possession of an altered passport, but the former Barcelona player has admitted guilt and agreed to face an alternative punishment, the lead official in the case said on Thursday. Ronaldinho and his brother and business manager Roberto Assis both entered Paraguay on Wednesday with false documents, officials said.
The ex-Barcelona forward was arrested on Friday for attempting to enter Paraguay with a false passport two days previously and spent Friday night in a police cell along with his brother and business manager Roberto Assis.
Spanish media reports said Ronaldinho was due to arrive in Spain later on Saturday to close the deal.
The inquiry that led to the detention of former Brazil player Ronaldinho Gaucho enters a new stage this week as prosecutors focus on what they believe is a money laundering scheme involving the businesswoman who invited him to Paraguay. Investigators will begin reviewing files and messages on the phones of the former Barcelona and AC Milan player and his brother and business manager Roberto Assis.
Former Brazil and Barcelona player Ronaldinho Gaucho his brother Roberto Assis, who were arrested on Friday for using a false Paraguayan passport, would present their case to a judge on Tuesday.
Gilberto Fleitas, the head of the investigations unit of the Paraguayan police, said Ronaldinho and his brother were taken into custody just hours after a judge refused to ratify a prosecutor's proposal for an alternative punishment.
Brazil winger Ronaldinho has become the central figure in the latest embarrassment to befall Blackburn Rovers' Indian owners, Venky's, following a Twitter post suggesting that they had offered the AC Milan ace a six million a year deal.
If a report in a British newspaper is to be believed, Chelsea owner Roman Abramovich held talks with the Brazilian's brother last weekend to discuss the transfer.
Inter Milan are considering trying to hijack AC Milan's pursuit of Barcelona forward Ronaldinho, Inter president Massimo Moratti said on Sunday. Inter are likely to lose Luis Figo to retirement at the end of the season and another creative player is on their wishlist.
Factbox on the Brazilian, who was named European Footballer of the Year.
Ronaldinho has agreed to extend his contract with Spanish champions Barcelona for another two years until 2010
News of all that transpired on and off the football field.
