Real Madrid News
Manchester City star backs Real Madrid forward for Ballon d’Or success ahead of Rodri
Vinicius Jr. is the frontrunner to win the Ballon d’Or this year, and as the special day nears, the hype around his achievement only increases.
The Brazilian winger may not have made a strong start to the new season, but his strong showing last term is all that counts towards the priceless individual award that Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo dominated for years.
Several pundits have chosen the Real Madrid winger as their pick for the award, but a strong case is made even for Manchester City’s Rodri who won the Euros and the Premier League in a year.
Ederson makes his pick
Speaking to the media in an interview recently, Manchester City superstar Ederson was asked to make his pick for the Ballon d’Or this year and he has no doubts that his compatriot deserved it more than another contender, Rodri.
‘I hope Vinicius wins the Ballon d’Or, he did everything last season,” he told TNT Sports.
The Real Madrid star, at this point, is the overwhelming favourite to take home the prestigious award and bring it back to Santiago Bernabeu for the first time after Karim Benzema won it in 2022.
Having won the UEFA Champions League and La Liga last season, Real Madrid players flooded the list of Ballon d’Or nominees. Of them, Jude Bellingham and Vinicius Jr were the clear frontrunners.
The Brazilian slowly emerged as the favourite after it became increasingly clear how he carried Real Madrid’s attack in a season where the club lacked a centre-forward.
In 3791 minutes, the winger scored 26 goals and provided 13 assists including four goals in two finals. He also scored in the final of the UEFA Champions League against Borussia Dortmund and was named the player of the tournament.
Now, the verdict has been made and unofficial rumours suggest that Vinicius has already won the award. It will be handed over at the Theatre du Chatelet in what will be a historic moment for the youngster.
Real Madrid News
Nico Paz’s message to Real Madrid after historic Champions League night: ‘I made the right decision’
Como had a night to remember in the history of their football club, taking part in the Champions League for the first time.
The Italian side’s rise to the top has been nothing short of remarkable, and under the astute guidance of Cesc Fabregas, they have reached the biggest competition in club football.
Como faced RB Leipzig on their Champions League debut, securing a 4-1 victory to mark the occasion, with Nico Paz starring for the Italians.
He delivered another reminder of his development away from Real Madrid, and the 22-year-old has become a star in his own right.
Paz shines on historic night for Como
The former Madrid academy attacking midfielder produced two assists as Como secured the win against the Bundesliga side.
As quoted by Mundo Deportivo, Paz made it clear that he has no regrets about choosing to continue his career in Italy.
“It was a historic night. We played an incredible match. We were really looking forward to playing this game. I think we approached it in the best possible way. We are happy with the match we played,” Paz said.
Paz had already established himself as an important player in Serie A. Performing with similar influence in the Champions League is another test entirely, and he passed it with flying colours.
The Argentine also addressed his decision to remain at Como rather than return to Real Madrid.
“I thought this was the place where I was going to grow the most, and I think I made the right decision. I am very happy with my decision,” he said.
At Madrid, Paz would have entered an extremely competitive midfield and faced uncertainty over regular minutes.
At Como, he has responsibility, continuity and now the opportunity to develop through Champions League football.
The 22-year-old believes evenings such as the victory over Leipzig demonstrate why staying was the correct choice.
The road not taken ft. Nico Paz
Paz is one of the biggest examples that the conventional path to stardom is not the only way for young players in their footballing careers.
Many starlets are guilty of moving to big clubs earlier than they are ready and then seeing their development stagnate because of a lack of minutes.
Paz, on the other hand, has consistently veered away from this. Despite coming through Castilla, he has built a career for himself in Italy.
There is absolutely no doubt who the star of this Como team is, and the 22-year-old gets more responsibility at a young age than he would have at a club like Madrid.
The Serie A side is proving to be one of the most exciting teams to watch in Europe, and Madrid fans in particular will be curious to see how Paz fares over the course of the campaign.
