There was chaos at the 2024 Ballon d'Or ceremony as Real Madrid boycotted the event over Vinicius Jr not being named the winner. However, final tallies show that Rodri beat out Vinicius Jr by just 41 votes. Despite his injury, Rodri was ecstatic to receive the award and stated the importance of knowing how to win and lose. Meanwhile, the NBA saw injury drama of its own as Memphis Grizzlies' star suffered a strained hip.
Manchester City faces a tough test this weekend as they take on Brighton & Hove Albion without their star midfielder Rodri. Despite his absence, City has suffered a dip in form, losing their last three games. The Spain international's control of the game and defensive capabilities have been sorely missed, leaving City vulnerable to counter-attacks. Can Pep Guardiola's side turn things around and avoid a fourth consecutive defeat?
Real Madrid bounced back from their recent consecutive losses with a dominant 4-0 win over Osasuna in La Liga on Saturday. Vinicius Junior was the star of the match, scoring a hat-trick and helping Madrid regain confidence after being hammered by Barcelona and outplayed by AC Milan in the Champions League. However, Madrid's superstar striker Kylian Mbappe failed to find the net yet again, while injuries to Eder Militao, Rodrygo, and Lucas Vazquez added to Ancelotti's worries. Despite the impressive win, Madrid remains six points behind league leaders Barcelona, who will play against Real Sociedad on Sunday.
Manchester City's Rodri took home the prestigious Ballon d'Or award for 2024, edging out Real Madrid's Vinicius Jr and Jude Bellingham. However, tensions were high as Real Madrid decided to boycott the event after learning that Vinicius Jr would not receive the award. Despite this, Real Madrid's Dani Carvajal showed true sportsmanship by being the first to congratulate Rodri on his win, despite being unable to attend due to a season-ending injury.
Real Madrid's Vinicius Junior has expressed his disappointment on finishing second in the voting for the Ballon d'Or award, which was won by Manchester City's Rodri. Real Madrid also won the award for club of the year and Carlo Ancelotti was named the best coach. Paris Saint-Germain's Kylian Mbappe and Bayern Munich's Harry Kane shared the Gerd Muller Trophy for best goalscorer, after scoring 52 goals each in the previous season.
In a dominant performance, Spain secured their spot in the UEFA Nations League quarter-finals with a 3-0 victory over Serbia. Despite missing key players such as Lamine Yamal and Rodri Hernandez, Spain showed their strength with goals from Aymeric Laporte, Alvaro Morata, and Alex Baena. Morata's missed penalty was quickly forgotten as he went on to score in the second half, thanking the fans for their support. With their unbeaten streak now at 14 matches, Spain has solidified themselves as a strong force in international football.
Pep Guardiola has confirmed that Manchester City midfielder Rodri will be out for the remainder of the 2024/2025 season due to a knee injury sustained in the match against Arsenal. This comes as a blow for the team, with Rodri being a pivotal player for City and Spain. Despite the setback, Guardiola has expressed his support for the midfielder and believes that the team has enough depth to cope without him.
Manchester City's hopes of defending their Premier League title have been dealt a blow as they were held to a 1-1 draw by Newcastle without their star midfielder, Rodri. Guardiola's team was unable to secure a win after having taken the lead, and now face the risk of being overtaken by their title rivals. With Rodri sidelined for the rest of the season, City will have to find a collective solution to maintain their position at the top of the table.
As Manchester City's hearing against the Premier League over alleged financial breaches continues, the potential punishments facing the team could have huge implications. With the possibility of a significant points deduction, expulsion from the Premier League, and the stripping of titles, this case has a lot at stake. Manager Pep Guardiola is already facing the challenge of replacing injured player Rodri, who will be sidelined for months with knee ligament damage. Stay updated on the latest developments in the live blog from the Manchester Evening News.
Manchester City's Rodri has been confirmed to have sustained ligament damage to his right knee after being injured in a collision with Thomas Partey during their match against Arsenal. The midfielder has consulted specialists in Spain and the club is still assessing the extent of the injury and expected recovery time. This news is a blow to Manchester City as they look to defend their Premier League title.