MANCHESTER, England (Reuters) – Manchester City and Spain midfielder Rodri was a worthy winner of the Ballon d’Or, said his proud club manager Pep Guardiola, who was reluctant to criticise Real Madrid’s snub of Monday night’s awards ceremony saying the decision was up to them.
“All Manchester City, our fans, we are so proud of him,” Guardiola said, on the eve of Wednesday’s League Cup fourth-round tie at Tottenham Hotspur.
“We could never have imagined this years ago, that one (City) player could receive this prestigious award.”
The 28-year-old Rodri, who led City to a fourth straight Premier League title last season and Spain to Euro 2024 success, beat Madrid pair Vinicius Jr and Jude Bellingham to the award.
Guardiola, asked for his thoughts on Real cancelling their trip to the Paris ceremony in anticipation of Vinicius Jr not winning the award, he shrugged and said: “It’s up to them.
“If they want to congratulate, that’s fine. If not, that’s fine,” Guardiola added. “We at Manchester City are not here to judge what the other clubs do.”
The Spaniard pointed out that City’s Norway striker Erling Haaland attended the ceremony as a finalist last year after scoring “more than 50 goals and winning the treble,” ultimately losing out on the Ballon d’Or to Lionel Messi.
“I said to him that just being there (among the finalists), he should be so, so happy, and I said the same to Rodri. Last season, Erling should win, yes,” Guardiola said.
“It’s (voted by) journalists. It’s not an elite group of people who vote. It’s (people) all around the world who vote, not just one country. There are different opinions, and that’s what makes football nice, no?”
Guardiola said Vinicius Jr would also have been a deserved winner and congratulated Madrid boss Carlo Ancelotti for capturing the award for the best manager.
“This event has to be a joy, people have to accept the results,” he said.
Guardiola said he had no issue with Haaland skipping Monday’s gala event to travel to Sweden instead and cheer on his friend Erik Botheim, who won the Allsvenskan league title on Monday with Malmo FF.
“(Haaland) and his girlfriend Isabelle will be parents soon, we only get a couple of days off,” the Spaniard said.
“He went (to the ceremony) last season. Sometimes you go, sometimes you don’t. He’s free to do what he wants. He will be really happy for Rodri, I have no doubt of that.”
City, who have a one point lead over Liverpool atop the Premier League table, have one of the toughest draws in Wednesday’s fourth-round tie at Spurs.
City beat Tottenham 2-0 away the last time they played in a league game in May, thanks to a pair of Haaland goals, in a crucial match on their way to winning the title again.
(Reporting by Lori Ewing; Editing by Ken Ferris)
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