Monchi revisits the Ballon d’Or debate: “I got a puncture and put a patch on it”

“I got a puncture and put a patch on it.” Monchi returned to the Ballon d’Or controversy on Sunday in an appearance on Onda Cero. The head of Espanyol’s sporting area was addressing the issue for the third time, after apologising to the club’s supporters.

A week earlier, at the presentation of the fifth edition of the Reyes Cup in Seville, RCD Espanyol’s general manager had said Lamine Yamal deserved the award this year, adding that he was leaning towards a Spanish choice. Questioned again a few hours after those remarks, he regretted having caused “a little controversy among Espanyol supporters” and apologised to anyone who had been upset. He said he had been asked about Mbappé, Harry Kane and Lamine Yamal before opting for the Spanish player, adding that, as an Espanyol supporter, he should have named someone else.

This time, Monchi described his answer as one given in a relaxed atmosphere at the presentation of the José Antonio Reyes tournament, among people he had not seen for a long time. “It was a choice between Mbappé, Harry Kane and Lamine, and I said… well. Thinking about it, if you can avoid upsetting one, two, three, four or five people, all the better. I had no particular intention,” he reiterated. He then drew a parallel between Betis and Sevilla before asking: “If Fabián is very good and he supports Betis, what’s the problem?”