Pep Guardiola addressed the recent Ballon d'Or controversy involving Manchester City and Real Madrid, asserting that both clubs have moved on from the issue. Madrid's boycott of the ceremony due to Rodri winning the award instead of Vinícius Júnior sparked discussions, but Guardiola expressed happiness for Rodri while acknowledging Vinícius's exceptional year. As the teams prepare for their Champions League match, Guardiola also highlighted the challenge of defending against Madrid's remarkable players, including Kylian Mbappé, who is in great form this season.
"Happy for Rodri. Vinícius made an extraordinary year as well. He deserved it. Like in the past when [Lionel] Messi and Cristiano [Ronaldo] were fighting for that. The subject is over."
"Being very honest I didn't spend one second thinking if it was disrespectful or not. I was there, I celebrated with him, I was very happy for him."
"I think it's impossible for 90 minutes or 180 minutes to control these four players. They are exceptional. So how they combine, the runners, the ability one against one, how they keep the ball."
"It's the fifth time in six seasons that City and Madrid have been drawn together in the Champions League. Carlo Ancelotti's side were victorious on penalties last season while City were comfortable winners in 2023."
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