Manchester City loanee João Cancelo is reportedly already “frustrated” at Bundesliga side Bayern Munich as he has once again found himself on the bench.
Cancelo shocked many with his surprise move to the German giants back in the January transfer window after apparently falling out with manager Pep Guardiola, and is now said to be unhappy once again following decisions from his new coach.
Despite making a positive impact in his opening two games, the Portuguese star has only featured in four of the seven fixtures Bayern have played since he signed and was most recently an unused substitute against relegation fodder Stuttgart. He also played just 12 minutes in the previous game.
While many argue that he cannot expect to play every game right away, the 28-year-old was considered one of the best in the Premier League before being loaned out and, to make matters worse, it is now said that manager Julian Nagelsmann is set to bench him for the Champions League tie against PSG.
According to Sky Sports Germany‘s Florian Plettenberg, Cancelo will start on the bench for the crucial second leg against Ligue 1 champions in the Round of 16 and although he has remained relatively quiet on the situation, he is said to be “frustrated” with his current treatment.
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The right-back-come-floating midfielder was previously hailed as one of the most versatile and dynamic players in the Manchester City squad, which you’d think would only make him more desirable to the like of Bayern and other suitors.
However, it is now thought that Cancelo is considered a straight-forward full-back by Nagelsmann and somewhat of an ‘awkward fit’ in their current 3-5-2 system, currently preferring the more defensively-minded Josip Stanisic at right centre-back and Kingsley Coman at right wing-back.
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Nevertheless, it took him just 17 minutes and 14 minutes to grab an assist in his first two games, respectively, so he clearly has plenty to offer and would be considered a huge coup for most clubs.
Contrary to the rumblings, Nagelsmann has insisted that “João’s handling the situation well. I don’t have the impression that he’s breaking off. Stanišić is a bit more defensive, that’s the reason”.
While there has been no hint from either the player or his former manager at this point, given that Cancelo is only on loan, a hypothetical return to the Etihad is not out of the realms of possibility.
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On the other hand, it goes without saying that there would have to be some serious mending of fences in order to resolve the rift between himself and Guardiola.
What do you reckon, Blues — would you have him back in a heartbeat or was Pep’s decision the right one?
Featured Image — João Cancelo (via Instagram)/Bayern Munich (via Twitter)
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Bolton fans split opinion with pitch invasion but they were the difference in the play-off semi-final
Danny Jones
The Toughsheet was hit with a huge pitch invasion by Bolton fans after the Wanderers narrowly secured their place in the League One play-off final this week, but the behaviour from those in the stadium has split opinion, to say the least.
Last Friday’s 3-1 win in the away leg gave the Trotters just enough cushion to survive the 3-2 defeat to Barnsley on Tuesday night, scraping through 5-4 on aggregate.
A tense affair was putting it mildly, especially after the home side began to let their two-nil lead from the first half slip and seeing the Tykes get just a goal away from tying things up with over a quarter of an hour still to go.
Bolton boss Ian Evatt put it best by simply saying, “We got the job done”, but as he’s stressed all season long as automatic promotion began to look less and less likely, he didn’t want his players to be premature or complacent come these final weeks. Safe to say the fans didn’t get that memo.
Although many have been defending the supporters for celebrating a massive victory which could see them back in the Championship after five years, not to mention it being the last home game of the season, plenty of others have been labelling the pitch invasion “nothing short of embarrassing”.
There have been countless comments to that effect, with people writing, “Bolton fans are weird. Pitch invasion and they aren’t even promoted yet” and “Pitch invasions for anything nowadays”. One user went so far as to argue, “Even the players must feel embarrassed”.
On the other hand, the defence that many of those are giving is that the Wanderers were close to liquidation just a few short years ago and unable to even pay their players, resorting to roping in academy players and dropping all the way to League Two in the 2020/21 season.
Nevertheless, there can be no doubt that it was a big night for Boltonians and it’s hard to pretend that being part of it would be anything other than up there with your most memorable sporting moments.
As for Evatt, he told BBC Radio Manchester that the crowd was “the best it’s been since I’ve been here”, insisting that “the atmosphere was absolutely incredible” from start to finish.
When you talk of the ‘twelfth man’ in football, it’s these games that come to mind and it’s no exaggeration to say that it was the fans in the stands that helped their team ride out the storm for what must have felt like an eternity.
What do you think, is a pitch invasion before you’ve actually won anything a bit premature or do these lot deserve to soak it all in after how far they’ve come over the past year or so?
Pubs can extend their opening hours if England make it to the Euro 2024 semi-finals
Emily Sergeant
Pubs are to be permitted to extend their opening hours if England make it through to the semi-finals of EURO 2024 this summer.
With the Premier League, and the English and Scottish football leagues, all drawing to a close over the next couple of weeks, our nations are already looking ahead to what is gearing up to be a massive summer of sport – with both the UEFA EURO 2024, and the 2024 Olympics coming up before August is out.
And now, it’s been revealed by Home Secretary James Cleverly that if either England or Scotland’s mens national football teams make it to the semi-final of European football’s flagship tournament, then pubs will be allowed to stay open for longer.
But, there’s a bit of a catch… because isn’t there always?
The Government has said that venues will be allowed to stay open for an extra two hours on match days if either or both teams reach the last four or the final of the competition, but this only applies to pubs that already have a license to open until 11pm anyway.
The move to extend opening hours comes after a consultation at the end of last year, and is hoped to provide a boost to the hospitality industry – which has notably been hit hard during the ongoing cost of living crisis.
The Home Secretaries in England and Wales, under Section 172 of the Licensing Act 2003, can make an order relaxing licensing hours to mark occasions of “exceptional national significance”, but the Scottish and Northern Irish Governments have to set their own rules.
“We have listened to the public through our consultation,” explained Home Secretary James Cleverley, “and we will be extending pub licensing hours should England or Scotland reach the semi-finals or final of Euro 2024.”
The EURO 2024 semi-finals are to be held on Tuesday 9 and Wednesday 10 July / Credit: UEFA
Mr Cleverley said the move will “allow friends, families and communities to come together for longer to watch their nation hopefully bring it home”.
This legislation is set to be laid in Parliament today (Wednesday 8 May) to ensure there is enough time for it to be debated and passed before the tournament begins on Friday 14 June, the Government has confirmed.