Pep Guardiola insists Manchester City harbour no ill-feeling towards Real Madrid over their Ballon d’Or boycott as the sides prepare to renew their rivalry.
Madrid’s representatives failed to attend the ceremony to crown the world’s best player last year after apparently hearing in advance that City’s Rodri had won it ahead of their own prime candidate Vinicius Junior.
The two clubs have become regular foes at the business end of the Champions League in recent seasons and they will meet again in this year’s play-off round. The first leg takes place at the Etihad Stadium on Tuesday.
“Absolutely not,” said City manager Guardiola when asked at his pre-match press conference if any resentment lingered.
“I was happy for Rodri but Vinicius made an extraordinary year as well. He could deserve it, like in the past when (Lionel) Messi and Cristiano (Ronaldo) were fighting for it. So, the subject is over.”
Real boss Carlo Ancelotti was asked about the matter at his pre-match press conference on Monday evening, and remained supportive of the club’s decision to boycott.
“I don’t think it was the wrong decision,” the Italian said. “We thought that Vini was the winner of the Ballon d’Or that year.
“It doesn’t mean we don’t respect Rodri, because he is a fantastic player. I think we thought that Rodri deserved to win the year before.”
Guardiola is well aware Vinicius is one of Madrid’s most dangerous players and admits City will have their work cut out to contain him and their other attacking weapons Kylian Mbappe, Jude Bellingham and Rodrygo.
He said: “I think it’s impossible for 90 minutes, 180 minutes or 200 minutes – it depends on extra time – to control these four players. Everybody knows they are exceptional.
“How they combine,
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