Cancelo: 'Guardiola lied, Man City were ungrateful'

Portuguese defender Joao Cancelo has criticized manager Pep Guardiola and Manchester City over the events that led to his departure from the English club in January 2023.

Coach Guardiola and Cancelo during a Manchester City vs. Liverpool match in the Premier League. Photo: DPA

The Portuguese defender was furious when Guardiola told the media that he was unhappy with the performances of two former teammates, Rico Lewis and Nathan Ake. "There were lies," Cancelo emphasized. "I was never a bad teammate, and you can ask Ake or Rico. I didn't see myself as better or worse than them, but that was the manager's opinion."

In the summer of 2019, Cancelo moved from Juventus to Manchester City for approximately $74 million, becoming the most expensive right-back in history. He secured a starting place and became a key player for the team, but a conflict with Guardiola arose in late 2022. After the World Cup in Qatar, Cancelo only played five matches before being loaned to Bayern Munich at the end of January 2023. He scored one goal in 21 games for the German club, but was not retained.

While Cancelo was underperforming at Bayern, Man City flourished to win a historic treble, including the Premier League, FA Cup, and Champions League. But the 29-year-old defender insists he has no regrets despite Man City winning the Champions League and that he made the right choice to join the club that needed him.

In the summer of 2023, Cancelo moved to Barca on another loan deal with an option to buy. This season, the Portuguese defender has four assists and four goals in 32 appearances across all competitions, including two in La Liga and two in the Champions League. Barca president Joan Laporta has publicly expressed his desire to sign the 29-year-old permanently when the transfer window opens.

Cancelo is happy and sees wearing the Barca shirt as a special moment. "My whole family comes from Benfica, but I've always admired Barca," he expressed. "All my idols play here, I like how they support young players and they have a playing culture that I love. I took a pay cut to come here and it didn't bother me at all. This is the third time I've considered coming to Barca and finally I've made it here."

Hong Duy

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