Joao Cancelo’s absence from Manchester City’s Community Shield team, despite speculations of a transfer to Barcelona, raised questions among fans and pundits. The City manager, Pep Guardiola, provided an explanation for Cancelo’s omission from the starting lineup.
City faced Arsenal in the Community Shield and lost 4-1 on penalties, with Leandro Trossard scoring the equalizer in the 111th minute after Cole Palmer had given City the lead. Cancelo, who had joined City from Bayern Munich and participated in the preseason, was notably left out of the starting XI.
One of the prevailing theories for Cancelo’s absence was his loan spell at Bayern Munich during the second half of the previous season. There were rumors of a falling out with Guardiola, and it was widely believed that Cancelo was no longer part of City’s plans. Furthermore, reports indicated that Cancelo had reached an individual agreement with Barcelona regarding a future transfer.
However, Guardiola refuted the notion that Cancelo’s absence was due to an imminent transfer. He explained that Cancelo needed to return to Portugal to address a family matter, dispelling transfer-related speculations for the time being.
This situation raised questions about the broader context of Manchester City’s squad, with suggestions that Kyle Walker and Bernardo Silva might also be on the move to Barcelona and Bayern Munich, respectively. Guardiola addressed the situation by stating that he had dinner with Walker, emphasizing Walker’s importance to the team, and expressing his hope that any potential suitors would communicate directly. He echoed a similar sentiment regarding Bernardo Silva.
As for Cancelo’s future, even though it seemed unlikely that he would remain a City player in 2027, he still had contractual obligations to play at the Etihad Stadium. The upcoming Premier League campaign for City was set to commence on August 11 with an away fixture against Burnley.
