Following Monday night’s Ballon d’Or gala in Paris, Real Madrid are at the centre of the conversation having decided to no-show at the event after they learned that Vinicius Jr. would not win the Golden Orb.
The 24-year-old Brazilian was seen as the favourite to become the 68th Ballon d’Or award winner but information leaked on Sunday and Monday leading up to the ceremony that Manchester City’s Rodri would be winning the prize.
In a show of support for their star winger, Real Madrid opted to skip the Ballon d’Or ceremony completely, even though they were in the running for other awards and even ended up winning two.
Pep Guardiola reacts
Following the episode, Real Madrid have drawn some criticism for not being present at the event while there have been some who have supported their decision.
Now, Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola, the coach of the Ballon d’Or-winning Rodri, has given his take on Real Madrid and their decision to not show up for the gala.
Taking a neutral stance, the former Barcelona manager insisted that everyone is free to act as they deem right and neither he nor Manchester City are going to judge the Spanish capital club’s actions.
“I have nothing to say. If they don’t want to go, they don’t go. If they don’t want to congratulate, they don’t congratulate. That’s fine,” said Guardiola, as quoted by Mundo Deportivo.
“Manchester City are not here to judge what other clubs decide or what they have to do and where,” he added.
On Vinicius Jr. not winning the Ballon d’Or, the Manchester City head coach said: “Did Vinicius deserve to win it? Maybe, but he didn’t.
“It’s the journalists who decide what they have to do. It’s the journalists who decide what they have to do. It’s not a vote of just one country, but of the whole world. There are different opinions all over the world. That’s why football is so beautiful.”