Espanyol sporting director Monchi has apologised for backing Barcelona's Lamine Yamal to win the Ballon d'Or.
Monchi's support for Yamal to win the game's most-coveted individual prize drew a backlash from supporters of Barcelona-based Espanyol, who consider the Spanish champions their biggest rivals.
"I was asked [to pick] between [Kylian] Mbappé, the French option, Harry Kane, the English option, and Lamine Yamal, the Spanish option," Monchi told Cadena Ser.
"I went for the Spanish option. It's generated a little bit of controversy among our fans, so if anyone was annoyed, I apologise."
The former Sevilla and Aston Villa sporting director has held the same role at Espanyol -- who have the same owners as Championship side Burnley -- since earlier this year.
However, despite having been at the club for a relatively short amount of time, he insists he understands the rivalry with Barça.
"I supported the candidate from Spain, but as a Perico [someone connected to Espanyol] I should have said any other player," Monchi added.
"I know what it means to be a Perico -- I have felt that sentiment since day one. I said Lamine Yamal looking at it from a Spanish point of view."
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Yamal, 19, finished second to Paris Saint-Germain's Ousmane Dembélé in last year's Ballon d'Or and is one of the favourites to lift the prize this year.
Real Madrid's Mbappé, Bayern Munich's Kane and Dembélé are among the Barça teenager's main rivals for the award, which will be presented at a ceremony in London on Oct. 26.
Yamal said last week he believes he deserves to win the Ballon d'Or because, in addition to winning LaLiga with Barça and the World Cup with Spain, the way he enjoys himself when he plays marks him out against the other candidates.
