Barcelona have had a tough 12 months but at the Ballon d’Or ceremony, they still managed to come away with three individual awards.
Alexia Putellas won her second consecutive Ballon d’Or and Robert Lewandowski was given the Gerd Muller award for the best striker from last season. The most controversial award was the Kopa trophy, given to the best young player. After Pedri won it last season, he was chosen to hand the trophy over to Gavi this year.
Speaking in a press conference the next day, Bayern Munich manager Julian Nagelsmann felt that it was not a fair reflection, as quoted by Diario AS.
“Of course, you always have your club-tinted glasses on, but generally I also have my own opinion. I would have voted in a different way. In my opinion, Jamal [Musiala] and Jude Bellingham have had a better season than the winner. From my point of view, both are ahead of Gavi.”
He was keen to emphasize that this was not him trying to start a war of words, merely giving his opinion – perhaps a sign of growth in terms of media savvy from Nagelsmann.
“A great player with a lot of talent. It was not undeserved on his part. He has an extreme winning mentality for his age.”
He was not the only element of the Bayern contingent to voice his distaste at the results though, with Alphonso Davies weighing in on the matter.
They may have denied you of your Kopa Trophy, but they won’t deny you of your future Ballon d’Or #GoldenBoy 🙏🏾 pic.twitter.com/8YQXkWuVzw
— Alphonso Davies (@AlphonsoDavies) October 18, 2022
Gavi will likely have a chance to prove his credentials against Musiala next week, as Bayern visit Camp Nou in the Champions League.
Musiala will step on Gavi’s head next week.
I am a Barca fan, but Gavi is not a player to won anything now or to play in as a starter in every match.
When you have Frenkie and Kessie on the bench, it is a crime for your team to start with Gavi.
And the results are obvious.
Xavi started to make many mistakes and continues to make them even worse.
Barcelona at this moment look like Barca from last part of provious season. Stated well, but ended in disaster.
It is only October, but they lost CL and are on the way of disaster in La Liga too.
They have no playing idea, no identity, no responsability they a complete mess right now.
If Lewa trips on the ball and cannot push it into the net from 2 meters, then you clearly have an issue. Actually more big issues.
Dembele was the star that made Barcelona important again, but now he is back to his poor form that made him 3rd disastrous transfer in Barca history, after Griezzman and Coutinho.
Gavi is a no started, Busquests need to retire to America, Pique start dancing and Raphinha (4th disaster in transfer history) needs to understand what humiliation is, stay on the bench, learn to pass first of all and to shoot.
Lewa have to get some rest. Try the bench players, Xavi, before it’s too late for their form and for the team’s results.
Let Gavi grow naturally, he is not Messi. Needs more time. If you want to grab some money in the winter break, try to fool a wealthy team to buy Gavi. It will be better for all.