Real Madrid respond to Michel Platini's Ballon d'Or complaints

Real Madrid have responded to Michel Platini's preference to see a member from the German national team win football's most prestigious individual award by criticizing the UEFA president for his bias against Cristiano Ronaldo.

Platini stated that the Ballon d'Or should be awarded to a member of the World Cup winning team during a World Cup year, to which Real Madrid responded by defending Ronaldo, last year's winner:

Firstly, its surprise at the repeated declarations regarding his personal preferences over the choice of the winner of the Ballon d'Or, particularly given that he is the head of European football's principal body, where our understanding is that the strictest impartiality should prevail.

The statement went on to outline the guidelines of the award, reminding the Frenchman that the Ballon d'Or is an individual prize, opposed to a team achievement and urged voters to take this fact into consideration.

Finally, we believe that Cristiano Ronaldo has without doubt had his best ever professional year individually, and has claimed the Champions League, the Golden Shoe and the record for the highest goalscorer in an edition of the Champions League, as well as the Copa del Rey and the top-scorer award in La Liga. 

In the current season, he has won the European Super Cup, scoring both goals in the match, and is achieving spectacular figures such as his 20 goals in the first 12 matchdays of La Liga, which confirm his great moment of form and ensure that, more than ever, he is deserving of the Ballon d'Or.

Platini defended his comments by saying he felt the same way four years ago when Spain were world champions.

Of the 23 nominees announced in October, there are six members from Germany's squad that captured the World Cup in Brazil, including `keeper Manuel Neuer.