WATCH: Manchester City’s Rodri Hernandez gives opinion on Vinicius Junior Ballon d’Or banner | OneFootball

Football feeds off the rivarly narrative, and if Manchester City against Real Madrid is not a traditional battle, their encounters over recent years have certainly stoked passions. The Etihad did their best to raise tensions on Tuesday night before their Champions League clash with their choice of tifo too.

A giant banner featuring Rodri kissing the Ballon d’Or with the words ‘stop crying your heart out’, referencing a lyric in the Oasis song ‘Don’t look back in anger’, and having fun with the Real Madrid reaction to Vinicius Junior missing out on the Ballon d’Or. Los Blancos decided to boycott the gala which they have attended most years on the grounds that, in Carlo Ancelotti’s words, ‘they believed Vinicius was the winner’.

Photo by Ziggo Sport

The crowd continued that spirit into the game, changing ‘where’s your Ballon d’Or?’ at Vinicius during the clash, to which the Brazilian responded by showing the crowd the 15 Champions Leagues badge on his shoulder. After the game, he admitted that he had not only seen the banner, but that it had provided an extra motivation for him.

As he was leaving the Etihad, Rodri was also asked about the banner by El Chiringuito, to which he replied ‘very good’.

The Spain international and Euro 2024 winner has noted in the past that he was not bothered by Vinicius’ and Real Madrid’s decision not to attend the gala, but has expressed surprise at the reaction in his home country, where many have put their club allegiances over their national ones.

Vinicius would win ‘The Best’ award a little over a month later, and call himself the best player in the world. The incident with the Ballon d’Or saw Real Madrid widely criticised for lacking class – it remains to be seen whether they will attend future events.