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Ballon d’Or: CRIME COMMITTED as Rodri is left out

By Laura Graves

LONDON, ENGLAND - JANUARY 01: Rodrigo of Manchester City celebrates after scoring their side's second goal during the Premier League match between Arsenal and Manchester City at Emirates Stadium on January 01, 2022 in London, England. (Photo by Catherine Ivill/Getty Images)
LONDON, ENGLAND - JANUARY 01: Rodrigo of Manchester City celebrates after scoring their side's second goal during the Premier League match between Arsenal and Manchester City at Emirates Stadium on January 01, 2022 in London, England. (Photo by Catherine Ivill/Getty Images) /
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Upon the release of the 21/22 Ballon d’Or nominees, Manchester City have six stars in the running, with Ederson shortlisted for the Yashin Trophy. However, Rodri is excluded.

Manchester City Ballon d’Or nominees include Kevin De Bruyne, Erling Haaland, Riyad Mahrez, Bernardo Silva, Joao Cancelo and young Phil Foden. Congratulations, boys.

Our Man City Square expert, James, made his Ballon d’Or predictions this morning with what seems to be his very own crystal b’Or, as his predictions became reality.

The Ballon d’Or, a once prestigious award, has become somewhat of a cheap popularity contest. The Love Island of football if you will.

With the reputation declining little by little each year, this year’s list has in my opinion, hit an all-time low – lower than Manchester United’s goal difference last season.

A name that has somehow managed to sneak onto the list, rightly or wrongly, is Liverpool’s Fabinho. Whether he deserves his spot is not our concern as blues.

However, his inclusion becomes baffling with the exclusion of Manchester City’s very own CDM, Rodri.

As we know, Rodri had a fantastic season for City. Putting in a Player of the Season performance week in, week out. Reliable and solid home and away. Making the oppositions business his business.

Rodri dominated the central midfield space with a certain elegance and authority. Quietly doing his job effectively for the most part, and popping up for incredibly memorable, limb throwing moments for the rest.

LIVERPOOL, ENGLAND – FEBRUARY 26: The electronic screen displays the VAR decision of no penalty against Rodri of Manchester City during the Premier League match between Everton and Manchester City at Goodison Park on February 26, 2022 in Liverpool, United Kingdom. (Photo by Visionhaus/Getty Images)
LIVERPOOL, ENGLAND – FEBRUARY 26: The electronic screen displays the VAR decision of no penalty against Rodri of Manchester City during the Premier League match between Everton and Manchester City at Goodison Park on February 26, 2022 in Liverpool, United Kingdom. (Photo by Visionhaus/Getty Images) /

I decided to take a look at the PL stats of Fabinho and Rodri to try and make sense of this travesty. The biggest nonsense since the Cucurella saga.

Fabinho                                                           Rodri

Appearances: 29                                          Appearances: 33

Goals: 5 (x2 pens)                                        Goals: 7 (0 pens)

Wins: 21                                                         Wins: 26

Losses: 2                                                        Losses: 2

Assists: 1                                                        Assists: 2

Through balls: 5                                           Through balls: 4

Accurate long balls: 61                               Accurate long balls: 180

Tackles: 46                                                     Tackles: 72

Tackle success rate: 54%                            Tackle success rate: 60%

Blacked shots: 5                                           Blocked shots: 13

Clearances: 23                                              Clearances: 42

Recoveries: 23                                              Recoveries: 292

Duels won: 127                                            Duels won: 189

Perhaps Fabinho features for his contributions in the Champions League final loss? Or maybe for winning two goalless finals to secure the Carabao and FA Cup – and we know how big they are based on their “bestest and biggest in the werrrrld ever” trophy parade.

In honour of Rodri, I am sacking off the Ballon d’Or this year, in favour of the new Man City Square d’Or which features our Spanish CDM at the top of the list.

Next. Line-up predictions for the home fixture against Bournemouth. dark

Are you miffed at the Rodri shade, blues?