Brother of Barcelona star takes aim at Real Madrid forward over Ballon d’Or snub – ‘Rodri saved football’ | OneFootball

The rivalry between Barcelona and Real Madrid is always intense, and even in moments of calm, there always seems to be something that stirs the pot.

Recently, there was much attention in Barcelona surrounding the Ballon d’Or, particularly when Vinicius Jr. failed to win the award, which many in Madrid had already considered a certainty for the Brazilian.

This disappointment, combined with the subsequent drama surrounding Madrid’s decision to cancel their trip to the event, led to much frustration in the Spanish capital. The media outlets linked to Madrid were quick to voice their discontent over the snub.

Dani Olmo’s brother takes the stage

This year’s Ballon d’Or was awarded to Rodri, the Manchester City midfielder, who was crowned the best footballer in the world for 2024.

However, the spotlight quickly shifted back to Vinicius when Carlos Olmo, the older brother of Dani Olmo, posted a controversial video on social media.

The video contained a compilation of unsporting actions by Vinicius, including moments of protests, physical pushes, aggressive tackles, and mocking gestures directed at his opponents.

In the caption, Carlos wrote that “Rodri really saved football,” a clear jab at Vinicius’ actions and a response to the ongoing debate surrounding the prestigious award.

Real Madrid have erased the incident

This incident comes just one day after news broke that Real Madrid, alongside Vinicius Junior, have decided to entirely disregard the Ballon d’Or moving forward.

Both the club’s directors and Vinicius’ team have opted not to acknowledge the award, viewing it as an oversight of the player’s significant contributions to the sport.

For them, the Ballon d’Or no longer holds any meaning, and in the months to come, it will be treated as if it simply “does not exist.”

The rivalry between the two Spanish giants continues to play out off the pitch, with both sides showing no sign of backing down from their stances.

The bitterness over such high-profile awards is just one of many examples of how deeply ingrained the competition between Barcelona and Real Madrid is in Spanish football culture.