Defender Joao Cancelo criticized coach Pep Guardiola for ‘lying’ and Man City for being ‘ungrateful’ towards himself.
The Portuguese international has been playing on loan at Barcelona since the summer of 2023. Since January, he also had to leave Man City to play on loan at Bayern Munich due to disagreements with coach Pep Guardiola.

Barca is looking to buy the 29-year-old defender permanently in this summer’s transfer window, while Arsenal also really wants to get him.

There is information that coach Guardiola was very angry with Cancelo’s reaction when he was eliminated in the season when Man City won the treble, including the Premier League, FA Cup and Champions League.

The two had a conflict after the Spanish teacher ranked the Portuguese star’s playing priority after teammates Nathan Ake and Rico Lewis.

“There have been lies,” defender Cancelo emphasized: “I have never been a bad teammate and you can ask Ake or Rico. I don’t see myself above or below them but that is the coach’s opinion “.

Cancelo moved from Juventus to Man City for about 74 million USD in the summer of 2019 and became the most expensive right-back in history.

“Man City is a bit ungrateful to me because I was a very important player for 3 years on the team,” he said: “I have never broken my commitment to the club by always trying my best. . I remember one time I was attacked by a robber, but the next day I was still at Emirates Stadium to play against Arsenal.”

He added: “These are unforgettable. I left my wife and daughter at home alone, in fear. People will just remember something else because Guardiola has more power and I prefer to keep that to myself.”

Speaking to Portuguese publication A Bola, Cancelo insisted he made the right choice in leaving Man City – despite missing out on last season’s great treble.

“I have no regrets about leaving the team, even if Man City won the Champions League,” he asserted: “I feel I made the right choice when I came to a club that really wanted me. Then I went to Barcelona, ​​took a pay cut and I didn’t mind it at all. The third time I planned to go to Barcelona and it finally came true.”