Ronaldinho has endured a tough season at Barcelona and has struggled to recapture the form that had previously made him a crowd favourite at the Nou Camp.He has not played since being booed off the pitch at the end of Barça's loss to Real Madrid before the Christmas break, but Rijkaard believes Ronaldinho can still come back and be a success for years to come.
"The only thing that interests me is for him to come back and show he is a great player. Recently, he has been working very hard and I applaud this. It is necessary to take it step by step. I always have the hope that he will remain for many years at Barça, demonstrating his talent and enchanting the fans," he told Sport.es.
Rijkaard's sole focus is getting the Brazilian back into the first-team picture and not to dwell on the criticism Ronaldinho has been receiving in some quarters of the Spanish press.
"I only have a hope that he returns to be with the team. That is the important thing. Outside Barça everything cannot be controlled, but I do not want to think about these things, just upon him returning to the team."
It was suggested to Rijkaard that there was a possibility they could close the gap on Madrid at the top of the table this week, with them facing a capital city derby against Atlético, but he would rather concentrate on his own team and leave the rest to fate.
"What I hope he is that we are prepared to do what we have to do. That is the important thing. We must gain as many points as possible and then we will see. There are still many league games left and we have confidence in our chances."
With a Copa del Rey tie with Villarreal coming up in mid-week and a tough game away to Athletic Bilbao next weekend, Rijkaard hinted that he may shuffle the pack a bit from the visit of Racing, but suggested that this was certainly not a case of underestimating their opponents.
"They are a team that is obtaining good results and not by chance. They are very well organised, are working very well and getting good results."
Rijkaard feels that the crowd at the Nou Camp on Sunday can play a big part in ensuring the side are victorious.
"I believe that the team must excite the public, because if the team plays a good game the appreciation helps us instantly, but it is certain that we also need to feel that support in the more complicated moments."
Finally, Rijkaard was asked about Real Madrid manager Bernd Schuster's suggestion that a person cannot be a good manager if they have not played the game at the highest level.
"It is an argument to analyze, but historically you can find many examples of trainers who have not played football and have been very successful with their team, and of course the other way round too," he concluded.
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