Monchi apologises after picking Yamal for Ballon d'Or: “Spanish bias” | OneFootball

Espanyol’s sporting director had to backtrack after his choice sparked criticism among fans of the Perico side.

Monchi ended up apologizing after causing controversy among Espanyol fans with his answer about who should win the Ballon d’Or.

The sporting director of the Catalan club had said earlier in the day that, if he were to choose a Spanish footballer, Lamine Yamal would be his pick to win the prestigious individual award.

“If I go with a Spaniard, I think Lamine would deserve it. It’s not an easy decision and it’s going to stir controversy,” he said initially.

He also mentioned other leading contenders for the award, saying he understood why the French would back Kylian Mbappé and the English would do the same with Harry Kane.

Monchi backtracked after the criticism

Hours later, during his appearance on Cadena SER’s El Larguero, Monchi acknowledged that his comments had upset some Espanyol supporters and decided to apologize.

“I’ve caused a bit of controversy among the Perico fans,” he admitted.

“I apologize to any Perico fan who was offended. I went with the Spanish side of things, but obviously, as a Perico, I should have said someone else.”

The executive explained that his intention was not to create any conflict and said his choice came from answering from a perspective tied to his nationality.

“I didn’t do it out of malice. I know what the Perico feeling means, and I’ve identified with it from day one and felt it in the streets. I apologize — I chose Lamine while wearing the Spanish flag.”

“There was no way out for me”

Monchi even took the situation with humor and said that, regardless of his answer, it probably would have sparked some reaction.

“There was no way out for me, I was bound to lose either way,” joked Espanyol’s sporting director.

The choice of Lamine Yamal once again puts the young Barcelona attacker at the center of the Ballon d’Or debate. The Spaniard is among the leading contenders for the award alongside stars such as Mbappé and Kane.

Lamine Yamal targets his first Ballon d’Or

Lamine Yamal will try to win the award for the first time after having finished second in the previous edition, in which Ousmane Dembélé took the prize.

The ceremony is scheduled for October 26 in London, where the Ballon d’Or winner will be announced.

Beyond Monchi’s choice, Lamine’s name remains one of the main talking points in the race for the individual honor, in a contest featuring several of the biggest stars in world football.

This article was translated into English by Artificial Intelligence. You can read the original version in 🇪🇸 here.