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.
News #Cancelo: At this stage he will sit on the bench against #PSG. Stanisic is likely to start. The coaches sees João as a typical right back but Bayern is playing with a back 3 since weeks. Right now no chance against Davies/Coman. Player is quiet but frustrated. @SkySportDE 🇵🇹 pic.twitter.com/RnQV6Okdlr
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.
🅰️ | João Cancelo with an assist for Bayern Munich, 17 minutes into his debut for the club.
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)
Sport
Tickets go live as opening date is announced for Manchester City’s new ‘immersive’ museum experience
Emily Sergeant
Tickets to visit Manchester City’s new ‘immersive’ museum experience have officially gone live ahead of the grand opening.
Set to open in the heart of the £300m Medlock Square entertainment district at Manchester’s Etihad Campus next month, the Manchester City Museum Experience will be spread across 10 distinctive spaces – with visitors invited to take a trip down memory lane with nostalgic environments from throughout the club’s history.
Fans will also be able to take part in interactive media experiences, like posing with all 48 major trophies won by the club’s first teams or trying their hand at football punditry.
The experience will combine the latest immersive technology with physical memorabilia drawn from across the club’s history to do this.
Hidden details and surprising ‘did you know’ facts are set to be embedded across the experience, so that even the most devoted Man City fans will have the chance to discover something new about the club they love.
By combining interactive environments, technology, and authentic artefacts, the experience is aiming to appeal to a wide audience – from lifelong Manchester City supporters, to families and those with a broader interest in football, culture, and the city of Manchester.
“The Museum Experience has been designed as a destination that goes beyond just the pitch,” commented Jeremy Maxton, who is the Director of Visitor Attractions at Manchester City Football Club.
Manchester City releases CGIs and important details of its new ‘immersive’ museum / Credit: Manchester City / Ralph Appelbaum Associates (RAA)
“Whether you’re a lifelong supporter, visiting Manchester for a weekend, or simply looking for a unique day out, we’ve created an experience that offers something for everyone.
“From the recreated environments and original memorabilia to the interactive elements, there are different ways into the Club’s history throughout the Museum.
“We’ve also built in space for new stories to be added over time, so the experience can continue to evolve. It’s been a huge project to bring together and we’re looking forward to people seeing it for themselves later this year.”
The Manchester City Museum Experience officially opens on 14 December, and you can now book tickets to visit from that date here.
Featured Image – Credit: Manchester City / Ralph Appelbaum Associates (RAA)
Sport
Details released of Andy Burnham’s meetings with Manchester City owners while Mayor
Emily Sergeant
Details of Andy Burnham’s meetings with Manchester City owners during his tenure as Mayor of Greater Manchester have been released.
In case you need bringing up to speed on the situation a little first, Manchester City was found guilty back in September all of its charges related to the Premier League’s financial rules over a nine-season period, and on top of that, was also found guilty of the majority of charges in relation to its failure to co-operate with the League’s investigation.
According to the Premier League, the independent Commission found that Manchester City had arranged so-called ‘sham’ commercial deals with a number of its sponsors.
These were part of a disguised funding scheme – with those sponsors only required to pay a portion of the relevant sponsorship fees.
The remainder was then funded by Abu Dhabi United Group Investment & Development Ltd (ADUG), which owned the club.
The Commission also concluded, as quoted by the Premier League, that the club had ‘made concerted efforts to stop and frustrate the Premier League investigation’.
Within the past week or so, it has since come to light that now-Prime Minister Andy Burnham had dealings with Manchester City during his tenure as Greater Manchester Mayor, and Greater Manchester Combined Authority (GMCA) has now issued a public statement, giving details on the matter and what these ‘dealings’ entailed.
A spokesperson for GMCA confirmed that Burnham had a ‘formal meeting’ with Man City Chairman, Khaldoon Al Mubarak, back in October 2021.
The statement reads in full: “In October 2021, Andy Burnham, in his role as Mayor of Greater Manchester, had a formal meeting with Khaldoon Al Mubarak at the UK Government’s Global Investment Summit arranged by the Department for International Trade.
“In his capacity as Mayor, he was a guest of Manchester City FC at home matches on a small number of occasions, including attending Vincent Kompany’s testimonial match in September 2019, where he met the Chairman informally in the stands. These have been declared in the usual way.
“Also during his time as Mayor, representatives of Greater Manchester sporting clubs would routinely join business delegations as part of Mayoral international visits.
“This included representatives from Manchester United travelling to Austin and Dublin, Lancashire Cricket Club joining a delegation to India, and Manchester City FC staff supporting visits to China and Japan.”
Featured Image – Lauren Hurley / Number 10 Downing Street (Press Image via Flickr)
Danny Jones -
7th March 2023 
