Benzema Not Upset After Ballon d’Or Snub-Ancelotti

By Daily Sports on December 1, 2021

Real Madrid coach Carlo Ancelotti said on Tuesday Karim Benzema is “not crying” about missing out on winning his first Ballon d’Or.

Lionel Messi, who left Barcelona for Paris Saint-Germain last summer, won the Ballon d’Or for a record seventh time on Monday. The 34-year-old Messi led Argentina to the Copa America title in July and has scored 40 goals in 2021, including 28 for Barca.

Benzema, 33, finished fourth behind Messi, Bayern Munich striker Robert Lewandowski, and Chelsea midfielder Jorginho.

In his Madrid press conference on Tuesday, Ancelotti was asked if the Ballon d’Or “still has credibility” following Messi’s latest victory. “We have to respect the decision. Messi won and he’s still a great player,” Ancelotti said.

“For the players, individual awards are important and they give motivation – but if they don’t win them, it doesn’t matter.

“Benzema has had a great season and finished fourth and now he will have extra motivation to finish first next year.”

Ancelotti added: “It’s an important award but it’s still individual. Karim Benzema isn’t crying about not winning it, nor Thibaut Courtois. They have accepted it without any problems.”

Ancelotti said he would have voted Benzema, Vinicius Junior and Luka Modric as his top three. Vinicius scored a scintillating late winner against Sevilla on Sunday as Madrid moved four points clear at the top of La Liga. They could extend that advantage to seven points by beating Athletic Bilbao at the Santiago Bernabeu on Wednesday.

“I don’t know if we are favourites for La Liga but we’re playing well and we’re consistent,” Ancelotti said. A

ncelotti also said Madrid will not sign any players in January but admitted unhappy players could be allowed to leave. Some players like Isco and Eden Hazard have found themselves out of favour under Ancelotti this season.

Ancelotti said Hazard will be available against Athletic Bilbao but insisted the Belgium attacker “must improve his fitness because he’s had problems of different kinds.”

“I don’t like January signings much. If we have players who aren’t happy, it’s something we can think about but we are not going to sign anyone.

“We have enough to compete until the end of the season.” (AFP)

•PHOTO: Benzema

Source Daily Sports

Posted December 1, 2021


 

You may also like...
NFF officials ‘panic’ as Nigeria prepare for Tanzania...

Enyimba FC qualify for CAF Confederation Cup group...

Sports Festival Won’t Disrupt Primary, Secondary Schools’ Academic...

Tuchel Tells Misfiring Werner To Stop Worrying

Eagles keepers crisis: Peseiro holds talks with Nwabili...

Meet Lionel Messi’s new bodyguard who protects him...

 

Latest News CAF awards: Ajibade, Nnadozie, Edo Queens bag nominations Lagos SWAN, PAACC Hold SWAN Day At Golfview Hotels, Ikeja Crisis looms as Eagles’ form raises AFCON, W’Cup concerns Ex-Nigerian Super Falcons player handcuffed, children assaulted as police storm Anambra Football Academy Sports NFF, teammates console Nwabali on father’s death Abia Govt hails Nigeria Olympic Committee over staging an admin course in Umuahia Libya deliver Eagles 2025 AFCON ticket Eagles battle Cheetahs for 2025 AFCON ticket Yellow Greens gear up for T20 W’Cup qualifiers Tyson tips Fury to beat Joshua Sadiq absent as 22 Eagles train in Abidjan Eagles’ striking trio hot for Cheetahs, Amavubi clashes

 

Most Read Rangers International going, going . . . (55,164 views) Amaju Pinnick: A cat with nine lives (46,308 views) Second Term: Amaju Pinnick, Other NFF Heavyweights Home to Roost •How Pinnick Broke the Jinx (44,370 views) Missing $150,000 IAAF Grant: Solomon Dalung’s Hide and Seek game (44,015 views) Sports Development: Zenith Bank on the zenith (43,949 views) Current issues in Nigerian sports: Matters arising (43,905 views) Gov. Abdullahi Ganduje’s solid footprints, commitment to sports development in Kano State (43,744 views) NFF Presidency: Pinnick, Maigari, Ogunjobi, Okoye in Battle for Supremacy (43,312 views) Olopade, BET9A wave of revolution in NNL (42,366 views) Commonwealth Games 2018: Shame of Muhammadu Buhari, Solomon Dalung (41,054 views) Ibrahimovic’s Man U exit: Whose decision is it? And in whose interest? (39,507 views) John Mikel Obi: Segun Odegbami’s Outrageous Call! (38,932 views)

 

Phone numbers

Tel: +234(0)8066020976
+234(0)8055068145
+234(0)7013416146
+234(0)8094272884

Email addresses

info@dailysportsng.com
support@dailysportsng.com
publisher@dailysportsng.com

Office address

No 3, Adetoun Close, Off College Road, Ogba, Ikeja Lagos.
Website: www.dailysportsng.com

Social Media