Joao Cancelo expresses frustration with Manchester City and Pep Guardiola in eye-opening interview

Redaction Willow Austin
Published on 2024-03-24 17:30:00

Barcelona loanee Joao Cancelo has made new revelations in a recent interview, putting Manchester City and Pep Guardiola in the spotlight once again.

The 29-year-old shocked everyone when he abruptly left Etihad Stadium in January 2023 following reports of a training ground altercation. This departure came less than a year after signing a contract extension with Manchester City until 2027.

After a brief spell at Bayern Munich for the rest of the 2022/23 season, Cancelo moved to Barcelona on a season-long loan in September for the current campaign.

Initially acquired by Manchester City from Juventus in 2019 as part of a swap deal involving Danilo, Cancelo’s hefty price tag of £60 million made him one of the most expensive defenders in history.

During his time at Etihad Stadium, Cancelo made 154 appearances, won two Premier League titles, and started 23 games under Pep Guardiola before his sudden move to the Bundesliga in the middle of the season.

This season, the full-back has been playing at Camp Nou, where he has already made 32 appearances for Barcelona, including 24 in La Liga and eight in the UEFA Champions League.

It is widely speculated that Cancelo will permanently leave Manchester City this summer, with Barcelona reportedly keen on securing a deal for him before the start of the new season.

Despite training with Guardiola’s squad during pre-season, Cancelo did not feature in any competitive matches before his transfer to Barcelona on Deadline Day.

In a controversial interview with A Bola, Cancelo further dampened any hopes of a future return to Manchester City by criticizing the club’s treatment of him. Quotes from the interview were relayed by Fabrizio Romano.

Cancelo expressed his disappointment, saying, “At City, they were somewhat ungrateful to speak about me in this manner. I was a valuable player for them. There were false stories circulating about me at City, but I have always been a good teammate.”

He also recounted a personal incident where he was robbed and assaulted at home but still played the next day against Arsenal at Emirates Stadium, leaving his wife and daughter alone, traumatized by the event.

Expressing his frustrations with Guardiola, Cancelo stated, “People tend to remember what Guardiola says more because he holds more power, but I prefer to stick to the truth. I have never lied. I have never considered myself above any teammate; it’s simply the manager’s opinion.”