Granero: Ballon d'Or should go to Real

By ESPNSTAR.com staff

Traditionally, the Ballon d'Or has been awarded to players that have shone on the biggest stages, including the Champions League and European Championships. 

The award, even in its former guise, used to be consistently given to players who had been victorious in the Champions League as the likes of Lionel Messi, Kaka and Cristiano Ronaldo were presented with the accolade a few months after their teams were successful in the continental competition. 

But in the current year, it's uncertain if anyone from the victorious Chelsea squad will be considered, given that the Blues only managed a sixth-placed finish in the Barclays Premier League. In contrast, Real Madrid's Cristiano Ronaldo and Barcelona's Lionel Messi scored 96 goals between them in the La Liga. 

Granero believes that a player from the record-breaking Real side - they scored an astonishing 100 points on their way to sealing the league title - should get the nod for the award. Real captain Iker Casillas is also being mooted by many as a potential winner as he recently led the national squad to their third consecutive international title in Euro 2012.

"The title we achieved will be [hard to beat] for a long time. We made a record of almost insurmountable points and goals," Granero was quoted as saying in a press conference on Saturday.

"Real Madrid is the team to beat and will be for many years. Last season was flawless. Real Madrid were far superior to the others breaking all records. 

"I just hope that the Ballon D'Or [would be] for one of our players."

On a personal level, Granero did not have the best of seasons as he only managed to make 28 La Liga appearances. But with the recent departures of Fernando Gago and Hamit Altintop as well as the contract termination of Royston Drenthe, the ex-Getafe player could get more first team action in the coming season.

"I want to continue growing and to establish myself in the team," he said.

"I have not thought about leaving and I have not thought about just continuing with the same role within squad. I want to play a more key role, as do all footballers.

"That is why I train and that is what I am going to try to achieve. I have high hopes of creating a spot for myself and being an important part of the team."

"I face the season with many enthusiasm, eager to learn."

Granero is currently training with the side and preparing for Real's upcoming two-legged Super Cup clash against Barcelona next month.