Ammon News - Brazil great Ronaldinho is set to make his first competitive start in more than a decade when Ravenna face local rivals Forli in Italy's third division on Sunday.

The former Barcelona and AC Milan playmaker, 46, is in line to make his first appearance for Ravenna since joining the Serie C club in August.

His last competitive appearance came for Brazilian side Fluminense in September 2015.

Ravenna manager Andrea Mandorlini said on Friday that Ronaldinho would start the match as one of his side's three forwards.

"He will play from the start, there's no doubt," Mandorlini told reporters. "Then together we will decide how long he plays.

"He is one of the greatest players of the modern era. And we have to get a result. We always play with three forwards. He will be one of the three."

Former Ballon d'Or winner Ronaldinho initially joined the Italian club as an investor in August, but said he had ambitions of scoring one final goal to take his career tally to 300.

"His objective is romantic, to try to score his last goal," club owner Ignazio Cipriani said earlier this year.

"His involvement is not a token gesture or a marketing stunt to get people talking about us."

The Brazilian arrived in Italy on Friday and will have only one training session with his team-mates before Sunday's match.

A temporary stand has been created at Ravenna's Stadio Bruno Benelli to accommodate the expected crowd, with supporters hoping to catch a glimpse of the World Cup winner in action for potentially the final time.

Ravenna forward Simone Rabbi has also said that Ronaldinho will take any penalties awarded to Ravenna, who are second in the table after 13 matches.

BBC