After his superb season for Real Madrid, striker Karim Benzema is in the pole-position to take the prestigious Ballon d’Or award. One of the other highly ranked candidates is Africa’s finest Sadio Mane – and the Senegalese has no problem wishing all the best to Los Blancos talisman.Benzema enjoyed a stellar campaign for Real last season as he helped guide the Spanish club to the Champions League and La Liga titles.Senegal forward, who joined the German giants from Liverpool for 40 million euros in the summer, was full of praise for the Frenchman when he was asked about the Ballon d’Or following Bayern’s thumping 5-0 win over Viktoria Plzen on Tuesday.Sadio Mané on the Ballon d’Or: “Honestly, I think that Karim deserves it this year. He’s had a great, great season with Real Madrid. He’s won the Champions League I think he easily deserves it, so I’m happy for him” [@canalplus] pic.twitter.com/bXmdWBd27D— Bayern & Germany (@iMiaSanMia) October 5, 2022 ‘Honestly, I think that Karim deserves it this year,’ Mane said.’He’s had a great, great season with Real Madrid. He’s won the Champions League… I think he easily deserves it, so I’m happy for him.’I know I won the African Cup of Nations, it was a relief for me and for the whole country, and I’m really happy to have won my first Afcon with my country. But I think it’s Karim who deserves it, and I honestly believe that.’Mane was speaking after Bayern’s victory in the Champions League on Tuesday night, where he scored a superb goal that left Liverpool fans ruining his decision to leave Anfield.##NAJAVA_MECA_6697339##Mane and Benzema are joined on the shortlist for the award by the likes of Kylian Mbappe, Robert Lewandowski, Mohamed Salah and Cristiano Ronaldo, although seven-time winner Lionel Messi has not been nominated.The winner is due to be announced at a glittering ceremony in Paris on October 17.
