Sport
João Cancelo already ‘frustrated’ at Bayern Munich after being dropped by Nagelsmann
Just as the situation developed at City, he now finds himself on the bench.
Danny Jones -
7th March 2023 
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.
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.
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.
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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.
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?
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Featured Image — João Cancelo (via Instagram)/Bayern Munich (via Twitter)
