"A Joke".. Sevilla Coach Slams Raphinha's Ballon d'Or Snub After Another Hat-Trick
Luis García Plaza is baffled by Raphinha's absence from the Ballon d'Or list after his hat-trick against Sevilla, taking his tally to 14 goals this season.
Sevilla coach Luis García Plaza expressed his strong surprise at the absence of Brazilian winger Raphinha from the Ballon d'Or nominee list, following the hat-trick the Barcelona forward scored against his side.
A controversial statement
García Plaza said in the post-match press conference: "Raphinha isn't even nominated for the Ballon d'Or — there are things in football I still don't understand," adding that the Brazilian is a match-winner for his team, which made him question the criteria for such awards.
Numbers backing up the coach's stance
The Sevilla boss's comments came after Raphinha led Barcelona to a 3-1 away win, scoring a fresh hat-trick just days after another one against Racing Santander, taking his tally to 12 La Liga goals and 14 in all competitions this season, since being converted into an out-and-out striker this summer.
A notable absence from the shortlist
Despite this outstanding form, Raphinha was left off the 30-player Ballon d'Or shortlist announced earlier this month, sparking a wave of criticism within Spanish football circles.
