sportbible homepage
sportbible homepage
  • Football
  • Boxing
  • UFC
  • Home
  • Football
    • Premier League
    • Champions League
    • World Cup
    • England
    • Transfer News
    • Manchester United
    • Liverpool
    • Arsenal
    • Real Madrid
    • Barcelona
  • Formula 1
    • Red Bull
    • Ferrari
    • McLaren
    • Mercedes
    • Max Verstappen
    • Lewis Hamilton
    • Lando Norris
    • George Russell
    • Charles Leclerc
  • Boxing
  • UFC
  • More Sport
    • Tennis
    • Golf
    • NBA
    • NFL
    • Darts
    • Athletics
    • Rugby
    • Wrestling
  • Advertise
  • Terms
  • Privacy & Cookies
  • License Our Content
  • About Us & Contact
  • Jobs
  • Latest
  • Archive
  • Topics A-Z
  • Authors
Facebook
Instagram
X
Snapchat
TikTok
Threads
YouTube
Submit Your Content Here
  • LADbible
  • Tyla
  • GAMINGbible
  • LADbible Group
  • UNILAD
  • FOODbible
  • UNILAD Tech
Joao Cancelo 'was in serious breach' of Pep Guardiola's policy at Man City

Home> Football

Updated 10:42 31 Jan 2023 GMTPublished 10:40 31 Jan 2023 GMT

Joao Cancelo 'was in serious breach' of Pep Guardiola's policy at Man City

Joao Cancelo is leaving Manchester City for Bayern Munich after growing unhappy with a lack of game-time.

Josh Lawless

Josh Lawless

google discoverFollow us on Google Discover

Joao Cancelo is heading to Bayern Munich on the final day of the transfer window after becoming unhappy with his lack of game-time at Manchester City.

News of the move, which is a loan with an option to buy for £61 million, came out of nowhere but reports say Cancelo had a bust-up with Guardiola after learning he was not in the starting XI for the win over Arsenal.

Nathan Ake started and scored the winner, with Cancelo an unused substitute for the third consecutive game.

Advert

The former Valencia man was said to be furious with being brought off at half-time in the 1-0 away win at Chelsea, and the fact Guardiola said “I’m so sorry for Joao, I asked him to play in a position he wasn’t used to,” after he played as a right-winger.

He went to the bench from the bus by himself for the Wolves win and then he reacted angrily to being snubbed from the side to play Arsenal on Friday night.

As per The Athletic, City staff felt he was not paying attention in tactical meetings or listening to instructions.

Image: Alamy
Image: Alamy

In the detailed report, it's mentioned that Guardiola and his staff noticed his body language was not up to scratch.

The City boss has a "no bad faces policy" at City, whereby he expects players to have the right attitude when not playing.

"You can not create something when people who are not playing regularly are creating problems," he said in 2017.

"Bad faces, bad behaviour from those guys– when that happens, forget about it.

"You cannot stay if it happens. But the guys who didn't play regularly here and are now playing more, they are exceptional. Without that, you cannot do it."

Image: Alamy
Image: Alamy

Cancelo, described as “like a volcano” when not playing, fell foul of Guardiola's number one rule.

Deeming him to be disruptive to the rest of the squad, City felt they had no choice but to move him on and were happy to do so when the Bayern proposition was brought to the table.

They are not expected to move for a last-minute replacement and will persist with Ake, Aymeric Laporte and Sergio Gomez as options at left-back.

Image: Alamy
Image: Alamy

Guardiola has also hinted about Phil Foden being able to play there, which could be a potential solution.

Signed in 2019 from Juventus, Cancelo has made 154 appearances for City, winning two Premier League titles and being named in the PFA Team of the Year in both campaigns.

Featured Image Credit: Alamy

Topics: Joao Cancelo, Manchester City, Bayern Munich, Premier League, Pep Guardiola

Josh Lawless
Josh Lawless

Josh is a sports journalist who specialises in football and WWE. He has been published by Curzon Ashton FC, Late Tackle, Manchester City FC, The Mirror, Read Man City and Manchester Evening News. He provides coverage of professional wrestling and has covered two WrestleMania events for SPORTbible.

X

@joshlawless_

Recommended reads

Ranking the top 10 best golfers of all time as Nicklaus v Woods GOAT debate settledGetty ImagesDavid Munyua and Peter Wachiuri interview: 'We wish for major PDC players to come and visit Kenya'Getty / Instagram/@wachiuridartsMark Selby lifts lid on backstage talks over Crucible as landmark agreement reachedGettyBarry Hearn sends message to Ronnie O'Sullivan over snooker future as Crucible prediction madeGetty

Advert

Choose your content:

an hour ago
11 hours ago
14 hours ago
  • Getty Images
    an hour ago

    Premier League cult hero retired from football aged 29 immediately after World Cup match

    In 2006 a Premier League cult hero retired from football at the age of 29 after the World Cup.

    Football
  • Getty
    an hour ago

    'Like a Benny Hill sketch' - Man Utd's disastrous 2013 transfer window

    Manchester United went after some of the world's best players in the summer of 2013. They ended up with Marouane Fellaini.

    Football
  • Getty
    11 hours ago

    Barcelona could hand Real Madrid an unthinkable El Clásico nightmare

    The La Liga giants will be praying this doesn't happen.

    Football
  • Getty
    14 hours ago

    Why Liverpool fans refused to wave Anfield flags vs Fulham

    The Kop looked very different ahead of the Premier League clash.

    Football
  • Florian Wirtz joins special Pep Guardiola XI after Man City make transfer decision
  • Pep Guardiola’s Bonus System Explained by Former Man City Player
  • Insider claims Pep Guardiola and Man City 'deliberately stopped' playing star to avoid activating secret clause
  • Pep Guardiola to Axe Any Man City Player Who Disobeys Strict Christmas Rule