Nasser Al-Khelaifi puts Paris Saint-Germain match before Ballon d’Or ceremony

Paris Saint-Germain president Nasser Al-Khelaifi was among the most notable absentees from the Ballon d’Or ceremony in London after choosing to remain in Paris to support his team against Lyon.

The Ligue 1 match took place at Parc des Princes on the same evening as the awards event, with Al-Khelaifi opting to attend his club’s fixture rather than travel to the ceremony.

Several Paris Saint-Germain players also missed the event because of the match. They included Ballon d’Or nominees Achraf Hakimi, Vitinha, Joao Neves, Fabian Ruiz and Willian Pacho.

Khvicha Kvaratskhelia was another absentee in London. The Paris Saint-Germain forward was unable to attend because of a serious injury that requires surgery in the coming days.