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RIO DE JANEIRO.
Veteran left back Roberto Carlos may leave Brazilian football because Corinthians fans have been threatening his family.
Roberto Carlos told the Lancenet website on Thursday he has been receiving threatening phone calls and people have been following him on the streets ever since the popular Brazilian club was eliminated from the Copa Libertadores last week.
The former Brazil and Real Madrid star said “things are getting out of hand” and that he will move back to Europe or play somewhere else if a club makes him a good offer.
“I’m reconsidering some things,” the 37-year-old Roberto Carlos said. “I’ve been threatened a lot by phone, and my family, too. There are even motorcycles following my car on the streets.”
After Corinthians’ 2-0 loss to Colombia’s Deportes Tolima in the Copa Libertadores last week, fans threw rocks at the team’s bus, damaged players’ cars and painted the walls of the club’s headquarters with protest messages, most against Roberto Carlos and veteran striker Ronaldo.
The Agencia Estado private news service said on Thursday the Los Angeles Galaxy will make an offer to acquire Roberto Carlos.
David Beckham, who has been friends with the Brazilian player ever since they played together at Real Madrid, was the Galaxy’s biggest star and may help persuade him to accept the offer.
“I’m not going to another Brazilian club, but to a team from abroad is a different thing,” Roberto Carlos said. “I’m going to see what’s best for me.”
He said his agent, Fabiano Farah, was coming to Brazil to discuss the possibilities of a transfer.
Corinthians said they haven’t received any official offers for Roberto Carlos, but team directors confirmed he has told them he was worried about his safety and was thinking of leaving the club.
Ronaldo, one of the team’s greatest idols before the Copa Libertadores elimination, also said last week on Twitter that he “really thought” about retirement because of the recent fan violence, but decided he “would not give this pleasure to critics and vandals.”
The former Brazil striker has said this will be his last year in football. — AFP.