FIFA laments Pep Guardiola will not be at the Ballon d'Or gala

Photo credit: AFP.

FIFA expressed their regret Friday over Pep Guardiola’s absence from Monday’s Ballon d’Or awards where he is in the running for coach of the year. The Spaniard is skipping the ceremony in Zurich to oversee Bayern Munich’s training camp in Qatar.

“It is certainly a great shame that one of the finalists for manager of the year, Pep Guardiola, just like the players named in the FIFA/FifPro XI, cannot take part in person at the ceremony,” FIFA noted in a statement.

But world soccer’s ruling body “understands that for sporting reasons the club’s winter camp has priority.”

Bayern, already in Qatar, will be represented by club ambassador, former Germany international Paul Breitner. The Bayern players on the short list to make team of the year are Manuel Neuer, David Alaba, Xabi Alonso, Arturo Vidal, Thomas Mueller and Robert Lewandowski.