- Mourinho states that Champions League elimination raises questions over Messi's season.
- The Portuguese doubts that Messi should be given Ballon d'Or without winning the most prestigious trophy in European football.
Jose Mourinho, the master of controversial statements, has questioned Leo Messi's right to win the highest individual award in football, Ballon d'Or.
"I have doubts that he [Messi] deserves the Ballon d'Or this year because he failed in the Champions' League," the former Real Madrid boss said in the interview with RMC Sport.
Barcelona lost to Liverpool 4-0 in the second leg of the Champions League semi-final. The braces of Divock Origi and Georginio Wijnaldum brought the Reds the win over Barca that allowed them to overcome the 3-0 defeat at the Camp Nou.
Barca's season is basically over now as we have already won the La Liga title and only have a Copa del Rey final to play. Many expect the Liverpool disaster to motivate the Barcelona board to introduce several radical changes in summer.
As for Leo Messi, he is still seen as the most likely winner of the prestigious award. Barca captain is on the way to his sixth Golden Boot with 34 league goals in 33 matches. Overall, Messi scored 48 and assisted 22 goals in 48 appearances this season. There is no player in the world who is even remotely close to Leo in terms of goal contribution. So, Mourinho's words probably shouldn't be considered as something more serious than his usual attempts to start controversy.
Barca's season is basically over now as we have already won the La Liga title and only have a Copa del Rey final to play. Many expect the Liverpool disaster to motivate the Barcelona board to introduce several radical changes in summer.
As for Leo Messi, he is still seen as the most likely winner of the prestigious award. Barca captain is on the way to his sixth Golden Boot with 34 league goals in 33 matches. Overall, Messi scored 48 and assisted 22 goals in 48 appearances this season. There is no player in the world who is even remotely close to Leo in terms of goal contribution. So, Mourinho's words probably shouldn't be considered as something more serious than his usual attempts to start controversy.
Interestingly, just a few weeks ago the Portuguese said something very different about Messi's Ballon d'Or chances.
"Messi is having a phenomenal season and now with Juventus and Cristiano Ronaldo outside this fight, he knows also that the Ballon d'Or is there waiting for him,’ Mourinho told Russia Today.
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