Barcelona angry over Messi, Suarez being overlooked for UEFA award

FC Barcelona's vice-president Jordi Mestre has said the Spanish champions are "very disappointed and angry" with European football governing body UEFA's decision to overlook stars strikers Lionel Messi and Luis Suarez for the continent's Best Player award which he termed as "scandalous".

Messi and Suarez were not among the three finalists for the prize, with arch-rivals Real Madrid duo Cristiano Ronaldo and Gareth Bale, and Atletico Madrid's Antoine Griezmann selected. Real madrid won the Champions League beating Atletico Madrid in the final.

Five-time World Footballer of the Year Messi was placed fifth, behind team-mate Suarez, leading to Mestre's diatribe against UEFA.

"It doesn't seem the right decision to me at all. I don't know what criteria UEFA applied, with all respect to the chosen winners, but I disagree with the choices," Mestre was quoted as saying by Ireland's TV3 on Saturday.

"That our players aren't there, such as Suarez or Messi, is scandalous. The club are very disappointed and angry."

Messi starred as Barcelona successfully retained their Liga crown in 2015-16, scoring 41 goals in all competitions -- 26 of those in the league.

Suarez, meanwhile, netted an incredible 40 La Liga goals -- and 59 in total during the last season.

--IANS

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