Real Madrid's head coach Carlo Ancelotti has defended his club's decision to boycott last year's Ballon d'Or ceremony. Ancelotti expressed his strong belief that Vinícius Júnior was the rightful winner of the prestigious award, and that the choice of Rodri from Manchester City as the 2024 recipient was a surprising one for Los Blancos.

As a reminder, Real Madrid was certain that their Brazilian star had done enough over the past season to claim the Ballon d'Or. However, when the award went to Rodri, Madrid chose to skip the ceremony in protest. It was a bold stance, signaling their disappointment.

In a pre-match interview ahead of Real Madrid’s clash with Manchester City, Ancelotti elaborated on the situation, stating: “I don’t think it was the wrong decision. We thought Vini was the winner of the Ballon d’Or. It doesn’t mean we don’t respect Rodri because he is a fantastic player. I think Rodri deserved to win it the year before.”

It’s worth noting that Rodri is currently sidelined with an injury and will not be available for Manchester City for the remainder of the 2024/25 season.