A few days after FC Barcelona’s 4-0 victory over Real Madrid, Gavi spoke out about the Ballon d’Or.
In that match, marking his return to the first team after almost a year, the Spanish midfielder came on in the 87th minute while Barcelona led, thanks to goals from Lamine Yamal, Raphinha, and Robert Lewandowski. After replacing Pedri, Gavi had a lively exchange with Vinicius Junior, reminding him of the score by holding up four fingers. Vinicius replied, “Yes, yes, but I’ll be going for the Ballon d’Or on Monday.” Although nominated, the award went to Manchester City’s Rodri, while Real Madrid boycotted the ceremony, claiming Vinicius deserved it. Following the event, Vinicius posted in Portuguese, “Eu farei 10x se for preciso. Eles nao estao preparados,” meaning, “I will do it 10 times if necessary. They are not ready.” Gavi congratulated Rodri, stating, “Congratulations, my friend. Well deserved.” Former Real Madrid player Clarence Seedorf commented, suggesting a conflict between Real and UEFA, saying, “I voted for Vinicius almost a year ago and believe he deserved this award. The issues between Real Madrid and UEFA should not influence these types of decisions. It’s a shame.”
