Atletico Madrid manager Diego Simeone has revealed that he believes Barcelona star Raphinha should have been chosen as this year’s Ballon d’Or winner.
Raphinha was a standout performer for Barcelona, sparking their comeback with the equaliser after Alex Baena had given Atletico Madrid the lead.
During his post-match interview following Atletico’s defeat, Simeone praised Raphinha’s performance and expressed disbelief that the Barcelona standout did not claim the Ballon d’Or this season.
He said, “Raphinha plays every game. He scores goals, he presses… I don’t know how he didn’t win the Ballon d’Or.
“Cardoso’s injury forced us to change our lineup a bit. We had high expectations for Johny, but he suffered that injury that kept him out of the game. We expect more and more from Julián (Alvarez).
“He’s a player who changes the team’s fortunes and is the most important player on the team.
“He’ll definitely show up in the next game or the one after that. Overall, the team played well. I feel very calm and happy with the team. We lost against a great opponent. It helps us improve; this kind of game.”
