Iniesta: The Negreira case did not help Barcelona even by 1%
Andrés Iniesta wants a Spaniard to win the 2026 Ballon d'Or.
The Barcelona legend told the AS newspaper: "Honestly, I hope it will be a Spanish player. That would make sense after winning the 2026 World Cup."
Titles, though, matter more to him. "Did you place great importance on the Ballon d'Or? Generally, I think everyone placed greater importance on titles," he continued.
"What people want is to win the league and the Champions League, and if the Ballon d'Or comes, let it come. It is not an achievement that can be placed on the level of the league or the Champions League," he added.
Comparing today's squad to the class of 2010, he noted: "The difference between the current generation and the 2010 generation? These players are very young. The challenge is to continue with the mentality that makes the group keep delivering what it is delivering now. If you look at the next four, six or eight years, most of the team's members will be at the peak of their footballing level."
The Negreira case drew a firm response. "In the Negreira case, how do you feel when you hear the stories being talked about? In footballing terms, there is no debate. We have not yet reached the end of what is being talked about," Iniesta stressed.
"But even if we analysed all the matches of that period being talked about, they would not find even 1% of those possible instances of help," he affirmed.
He concluded: "I never heard, never saw, and never felt that I received any help. In every match, the fans and players see that the other side received help."
