Is AC Milan's Ronaldinho Fighting a Losing Battle Against Mediocrity?

In 2005, he almost single-handedly led Barcelona to an away victory over their arch-rivals Real Madrid, scoring the second and third goals in Barca's 3-0 triumph in one of that season's El Clasico match-ups. 

So dazzling and entertaining was the player's undoing of Los Blancos in that match that the Madrid home fans rewarded him with a standing ovation as he left the field. 

Yet there were no standing ovations for Ronaldinho Wednesday as he trudged sullenly from the pitch at the San Siro, subbed off on the hour mark to make way for Pipo Inzaghi. 

The player who'd almost single-handedly defeated Real Madrid five years earlier had been nowhere to be seen over either leg of AC Milan's Champions League group-stage tie with Madrid this fall. 

In Wednesday's game the Brazilian international appeared slow, ineffectual and incapable of inserting himself into the game.  Milan coach Massmiliano Allegri chose to sub the midfielder out for Inzaghi, just as he had done two weeks ago in the away leg of the tie to make way for Robinho. 

Inzaghi, at 37 years of age, came on and quickly scored two goals, temporarily giving Milan the lead and causing us perhaps to ponder how a player of Ronaldinho's quality, who at seven years Inzaghi's junior, could have allowed his abilities to desert him so.

He began his career looking as if he was set to establish himself as one of the greatest players the game had ever known. 

After leaving Brazil to commence his European adventure with a successful stint at Paris St. Germain, it wasn't long before the big clubs came calling.  Manchester United were keen, but the English club was ultimately outbid by Barcelona. 

And it was at Barca that Ronaldinho enjoyed his greatest successes.  He won the Ballon d'Or in 2004 and 2005.  A year later he lead the Catalan side to victory in the Champions League. 

At his peak his dribbling skills were easily on par with those of a Cristiano Ronaldo or a Johan Cruyff.  He was fast, clever and the consummate "trequartista," capable of switching back and forth between the roles of playmaker and goal-getter. 

Yet when current Barca coach Pep Guardiola took over from Frank Rijkaard in 2008, one of his first acts was to sell Ronaldinho to Milan.

Guardiola, whose instincts are generally on the money, apparently knew what he was doing in letting his then-marquee player go.  Currently in his third season at the Italian club, Ronaldinho seems to be fighting a losing struggle with mediocrity.

His form has been inconsistent since he joined the Rossoneri and rumors of the Brazilian overindulging in the European nightlife continue to dog him season in and season out. 

While other players of his vintage like Didier Drogba and Zlatan Ibrahimovic still demonstrate their ability to impact the game in league and European play, it's hard not to ask how Ronaldinho could have let his quality slip away from him and furthermore to wonder if it will ever return.

After being passed on by former Brazil coach Dunga for this summer's World Cup in South Africa, the player is set to return to play for his national side after nearly two years in the international wilderness when Brazil meet Argentina for a friendly later this month. 

Perhaps the chance to represent his country against their bitter rivals will inspire Ronaldinho to raise his form to the level we all would like to see it at once again. If that's even a possibility at this point.