Champions League shake-up improves Barcelona winger’s Ballon d’Or chances | OneFootball

The landscape of the Ballon d’Or race has changed dramatically following the Champions League quarter-finals.

Several early favourites such as Kylian Mbappe, Vinicius Jr., Erling Haaland, and Mohamed Salah are now out of the running after their clubs were knocked out before the semi-finals, shifting attention to new contenders.

At the start of the season, most tipped Real Madrid, Manchester City, Liverpool, or Bayern Munich as the top challengers for European glory.

But the four clubs still standing are Barcelona, Inter Milan, Arsenal, and Paris Saint-Germain – marking a major shift that will likely be reflected in the Ballon d’Or voting.

The prestigious individual award, often closely tied to Champions League success, went last year to Rodri, with several Real Madrid players also finishing high in the rankings.

This year, many of those top-ranked players are already out, opening the door for stars from the remaining clubs to take centre stage.

Barcelona players in the spotlight

Barcelona are now in a strong position to see one of their own claim the award. French outlet L’Equipe (h/t Mundo Deportivo) highlights Lamine Yamal as a rising candidate following the quarter-final eliminations.

However, teammates such as Pedri, Raphinha, and Robert Lewandowski are also now in the conversation.

Ballon d’Or chances boosted. (Photo by Pedro Salado/Getty Images)

The Catalan club, currently top of La Liga, in the Copa del Rey final, and through to the Champions League semi-finals, are enjoying one of their best seasons in years – putting multiple players in contention for the award.

Yamal finished tenth in the Ballon d’Or rankings last year – the youngest player to crack the top ten. And, considering the season he has had, a higher finish is very much on the cards for the La Masia sensation.

Inter, PSG and Arsenal also in the mix

Inter Milan are having a similarly impressive campaign. The Nerazzurri lead Serie A and are in the semi-finals of both the Coppa Italia and the Champions League.

Arsenal, meanwhile, are second in the Premier League and out of the domestic cups, making the Champions League their best chance at silverware. Their performance in Europe could determine if any of their players enter the Ballon d’Or conversation.

PSG are also firmly in the mix. Despite playing in the less competitive French league, they are already Ligue 1 champions, are in the Coupe de France final, and will face Arsenal in the Champions League semi-finals.

If Luis Enrique’s side go on to win the Champions League, Ousmane Dembele, in standout form, could emerge as a major contender for the Ballon d’Or.

The former Barcelona winger is having a stellar campaign and would become the leading candidate if PSG lift the trophy.

With several big names already out of Europe, the race is now wide open – and the remaining fixtures will likely decide who takes home football’s top individual honour.