‘He told me I was a Real Madrid player’ – Cancelo talks Barcelona, Benfica, Portugal, Pep Guardiola
Barcelona’s 2023/24 season has been one marred with inconsistency and ‘out of form’ performances, on an individual level. No player, apart from Ilkay Gundogan, has constantly performed to an acceptable standard this season from start to finish.
Some of the young guns have done exceedingly well during the second-half of the season, including Lamine Yamal and Pau Cubarsí, while someone like Gavi could not continue through the season due to the ACL tear he suffered.
However, one of the more impressive performers this season has been Joao Cancelo, currently on loan from Manchester City.
While he definitely has his moments, the Portuguese has largely given his all whenever he has played, and has also covered at both right and left-back without picking up any long-term injury.
On his love for Barcelona and past with Man City
“Pepe told me that I was a Real Madrid player, but I told him, ‘I am from Barcelona’,” Cancelo said in a recent interview, as relayed by Mundo Deportivo.
“I am happy to be at Barcelona. It is the club I have always wanted to be at. After Benfica, it is the club I always loved.”
He was, therefore, asked whether he wants to play for the senior Benfica side — which he has not, despite being from their academy.
“It is not dismissable. I really want to play for Benfica, really. But I would like to be here for another two or three years [Barcelona].”
There were some doubts over Cancelo’s behavioural issues before his move to Barcelona, but he has seemingly dismissed all of those with his attitude on and off the pitch so far.
As such, he was asked about Pep Guardiola, with whom he seemed to have a row during his last days with Manchester City.
“I don’t have any grudge against Pep (Guardiola). He is a person with a strong personality, so do I, there are things that we did not agree with and I told him, and others with which he did not agree and told me. He is the best coach in the world. Life goes on. I’m very happy here [Barcelona],”
On playing for Portugal
Finally, Cancelo touched on his time with the Portuguese National Team so far, and the upcoming European Championship. He reminded everyone that he did not get to play at the Euros in 2021 because of COVID-19, but he is excited about it this time around.
“For me it is always a pride to represent Portugal. I hope to be able to do it at the European Championship. I haven’t achieved it yet. I didn’t play in the last European Championship due to Covid-19. I hope to be able to do it this year, expectations are very high.”
“We achieved 10 games and 10 victories [in the qualifying phase for Euro 2024]. We won’t always be able to win, but playing like this we will always be closer to victory,” he concluded.
