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The controversy rumbles on after Cristiano Ronaldo bailed on the Champions League draw, as Luka Modric was named Best Player.
The Juventus star won the award for Best Champions League Midfielder of the Season, part of a Real Madrid clean sweep that also saw Keylor Navas, Sergio Ramos and Modric win trophies.
However, the ultimate prize for Player of the Season went to Croatia international Modric.
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According to Tuttosport, Ronaldo decided at the last minute to cancel his private plane and not attend the ceremony in Monte Carlo because he heard rumours Real Madrid President Florentino Perez was pressuring UEFA to reward Modric instead.
“Why didn’t Ronaldo come? Only Ronaldo knows, you should ask him. We expected him to come but then, a couple of hours before, Juve told us he wouldn’t,” UEFA President Aleksander Ceferin told La Gazzetta dello Sport.
“l’ll only say this: there was a vote by 55 journalists and 80 Coaches, so they decided the winner and therefore the result must be accepted.
“However, I don’t know about Ronaldo and perhaps there were other reasons behind his absence. It’s better to be optimistic…”
