João Cancelo Comes Out Against 'Ungrateful' Manchester City, Decries 'False Claims

João Cancelo, Portugal's full-back currently loaned to Barcelona, expressed consternation over what he describes as "ungrateful" treatment from his former football club, Manchester City. Cancelo claimed that the club spread "lies" about the reasons for his departure.

Once a central figure in Pep Guardiola’s line-up, Cancelo left England for Germany abruptly in January 2023. At the time, media stories speculated that Cancelo had become a disruptive influence within the Manchester City squad, a claim he argues is far fetched.

The 29-year-old insisted that he was a valued team member during his time at Manchester City. In an interview with the Portuguese sports newspaper A Bola, Cancelo defended himself by stating, "Lies were told. I was never a bad companion for them and you can ask either Ake or Rico."

Cancelo considers the unproven allegations and his hasty departure unfair, especially considering his commitment and past contributions to the club. In 2019, Cancelo joined Manchester City with a £60million transfer from Juventus. During his tenure, he was part of the squad that secured back-to-back Premier League titles in 2021 and 2022.

He cited an incident where he still played in a match against Arsenal on New Year’s Day 2022, a day after a robbery at his home left him with visible facial injuries. "These are things you don’t forget. I left my wife and daughter alone at home, terrified," he recounted. Despite this challenging incident, Cancelo charged on, demonstrating his unwavering dedication to the club.

Lastly, he remarked that "People will only remember this because Mr Guardiola would have a much stronger influence on opinions than me." His comments have made it plain that he is less than satisfied with his abrupt exit from Manchester City and the alleged misinformation surrounding his departure.