Rodri has supplied a withering evaluation of Actual Madrid over their resolution to boycott the Ballon d’Or ceremony en masse, saying he “can not respect” the Spanish giants for staying away from Paris on one of many biggest nights of his profession.
The Manchester Metropolis midfielder was considerably of a shock winner of the best particular person prize in soccer, one which many near Madrid had believed was destined for odds-on favourite Vinicius Junior. When information of Rodri’s imminent triumph broke within the hours forward of the ceremony, Madrid opted to withdraw their whole delegation from the occasion, their males’s membership of the yr prize going uncollected.
Rodri largely demurred from commenting on Madrid’s absence in his acceptance speech however talking on “The Relaxation is Soccer” podcast, he didn’t stint in his criticism of the Spanish giants. As a substitute, he instructed that Madrid may have taken their disappointment with the grace he believes Metropolis did in 2023 when Erling Haaland missed out to Lionel Messi.
“It is a resolution of people or golf equipment generally to determine what to do,” he mentioned. “I can not respect the choice, I at all times mentioned I would not do it in the identical approach. I keep in mind final yr that perhaps Erling was near profitable it I needed to be there with him to help with all of the membership and regardless that Leo gained it, we had been there clapping [for] him as a result of Ballon d’Or is a recognition not for a participant, it is for a yr, for a degree of a man for an entire yr.
“In sport and in life, it is vital to win. However I believe much more learn how to lose, and I say at all times the identical, it was my second, I did not wish to discuss others. They did not wish to be there — I wish to be with my membership, with my household, the folks that had been there and clapped [for] me and that was a incredible second.”
A repeat triumph will show past the 28-year-old this season after a significant knee harm suffered in September. His supervisor Pep Guardiola dominated him out for the rest of the marketing campaign when confirming an ACL tear however Rodri will not be so certain. “My goal is to return again this season,” he mentioned.
“I believe by way of my mentality, it is going to be optimistic for me to not surrender the season and throw it. I do not wish to run, you understand, I do not wish to make errors. However yeah, that is my mentality. I do not know when — In my goal is six, seven months, however the physios, they are going to dictate.”
