‘Lies were told’: João Cancelo blasts Manchester City over his departure
João Cancelo has accused Manchester City of being “ungrateful” and claimed “lies were told” about his exit from the club.
The Portugal full-back is on a season-long loan at Barcelona after a spell at Bayern Munich in the second half of last term. Cancelo had been a key part of manager Pep Guardiola’s squad until shortly before his unexpected, deadline-day departure for Germany in January 2023.
Stories later emerged suggesting Cancelo, who had fallen behind Rico Lewis and Nathan Aké in the pecking order, had been a disruptive influence in the dressing room.
The 29-year-old told the Portuguese sports newspaper A Bola: “Lies were told. I was never a bad companion for them and you can ask either Aké or Rico. I don’t have any superiority or inferiority complex towards them. “I think Manchester City were a bit ungrateful to me when they said that because I was a very important player in the years I was there. I never failed in my commitment to the club, to the fans. I always gave everything.”
Cancelo, who joined City in a £60m move from Juventus in 2019, won backto-back Premier League titles in 2021 and 2022. He felt his commitment to the club was clear for all to see when he played in a game at Arsenal on New Year’s Day 2022, with facial injuries visible after an attack in his home just hours earlier.
He said: “I remember a time when I was robbed and attacked and the next day I was playing at the Emirates against Arsenal. These are things you don’t forget. I left my wife and daughter alone at home, terrified. People will only remember this because Mr Guardiola has much more strength than me when he says something, and I prefer to keep to myself.”