Sergio Aguero has denied saying the winner of the Ballon d'Or should be given to a player who features in the UEFA Champions League final and backed Lionel Messi to win the gong.
Marca quoted the Manchester City striker as saying: "I think that to win the Ballon d'Or [you] have to be in the Champions League [final] no matter what."
That would exclude Messi, whose Barcelona side crashed out of the semi-final at the hands of Liverpool, who will take on Tottenham Hotspur in the final.