Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola has played down any controversy surrounding Real Madrid’s absence from the Ballon d’Or ceremony on Monday night, according to Metro.
City’s midfielder Rodri claimed the prestigious award, surpassing Real Madrid stars Vinicius Junior, Jude Bellingham, and Dani Carvajal.
The award, determined by a panel of 100 journalists and coaches, saw Rodri emerge as the top choice.
Aware of the outcome in advance, Real Madrid opted to skip the Paris event, leaving the awards for Men’s Club of the Year for Carlo Ancelotti and the Gerd Muller Trophy for Kylian Mbappe uncollected by representatives from the Spanish club.
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Pep Guardiola on Real Madrid Snub
In a press briefing on Tuesday, Guardiola responded to questions about Madrid’s absence.
“It’s up to them. If they want to congratulate, that’s fine. If not, that’s fine as well,” he stated.
Guardiola emphasized that City respects other clubs’ decisions, adding, “At Manchester City, we are not here to judge other clubs on what they decide they have to do.”
His measured response reflects City’s focus on their achievements rather than off-field drama, reinforcing Pep Guardiola view that the Ballon d’Or’s results should be celebrated without unnecessary controversy.
