The attitude issues that forced Joao Cancelo out of Manchester City do not appear to have followed him to Barcelona.
That’s if Barcelona manager Xavi’s comments today are anything to go by, with the Spaniard praising the defender today.
Journalist Lu Martín this week explained that Cancelo, who joined Barcelona on loan from Manchester City in the summer, had been forced out of the Etihad by Pep Guardiola.
He detailed how Guardiola had become tired of Cancelo’s behaviour and attitude behind the scenes, with the Portuguese full-back increasingly upset at no longer being a guaranteed starter.
It was that which led to his surprise loan move to Bayern Munich last year and then Barcelona in the summer.
Martín also explained that behaviour and attitude problems were something of a common occurrence with Cancelo, who had also become something of a problem at Valencia earlier in his career.
The journalist claimed that ‘even God couldn’t stand him’ by the end of his time at the Spanish club, openly suggesting that Cancelo can become something of a nightmare for managers if he is not happy.
That doesn’t appear to have happened at Barcelona, though, where his current manager Xavi has been full of praise for the Manchester City loanee.
“He is playing very well both on the left and on the right,” he said.
“Fantastic contribution: the indications are whether he is higher or lower. But he is also a leader, very happy with him.”
