Real Madrid are hugely disappointed and angry at what they consider to be an injustice with an award that for the club loses its value and “right now ceases to exist”. In fact, Los Blancos have cancelled the special programming they had planned for the Ballon d’Or on RMTV, which was going to last five hours. There will be no trace of the Ballon d’Or from now on at Valdebebas and at the Estadio Santiago Bernabeu.
It was yesterday morning when Real Madrid began to receive information that perhaps Vinicius would not be the winner. It was all speculation, but the information began to sound louder and louder in Valdebebas and the expedition began to be in doubt.
At noon, with the players in Valdebebas, is when the decision is finally made not to travel to Paris, in a measure that will have to be seen how the club manages it in the future. But right now the comment is unanimous: “The Ballon d’Or does not exist.”
Real Madrid’s motto is clear right now: “We have to focus on the competition”. After the shock and initial disappointment, Carlo Ancelotti is clear that the team has to focus on the day-to-day and on the competition, especially after the 4-0 defeat to Barcelona.
In Madrid, the final resolution of the trophy is surprising because all the information they had received until Saturday was that of a Vinicius dyed in gold in Paris. The expedition of 50 people, with Florentino Perez at the head, makes it clear that in Madrid they took for granted that he would win the award.
Vinicius and his sponsors were also counting on the Ballon d’Or and Nike had planned to dress its entire store on Madrid’s Gran Via in gold in Vini’s honor. It remains to be seen whether they will follow the same protocol with Rodrygo, who is also from the American brand.