Manchester City will take on Bayern Munich in the first leg of their Champions League quarter-final tonight, and one player who could be on a collision course with his former club is defender Joao Cancelo. Cancelo fell out of favour at the Etihad under Pep Guardiola and in January, he headed to the Bundesliga until the end of the season.
Both clubs are among the favourites to win the Champions League, and they will meet at the Etihad this evening live on talkSPORT. This has led to questions as to whether the right-back will be able to feature for Bayern Munich. Cancelo started every game but one for City during the group stage and will now be hoping to play a part in Bayern’s pursuit of European glory.
According to UEFA, clubs can register a maximum of three new players during the winter, and it does not matter if they have already featured in the competition. Cancelo played in both legs of Bayern’s round of 16 win over Paris Saint-Germain. This means Cancelo is allowed to play for Bayern in the Champions League.
Although things get a bit more complicated when it comes to whether he can feature against City, the Portuguese international is eligible to play against his parent club. City could have negotiated a special clause that prevented the right-back from playing against them, but they decided against it. This means Cancelo, who has made 154 appearances for Man City since his move from Juventus, can feature in both legs.
However, since moving to Germany, he has only completed 90 minutes once and isn’t a guaranteed starter. But if he does find a place in Thomas Tuchel’s XI, the former Chelsea boss hopes he can deal with his emotions. Speaking in his pre-match press conference, Tuchel said: “I hope he can manage his emotions and he’s not over-motivated, over-excited, but not too friendly and too shy. I know that he is looking forward to it.”
Cancelo’s move to Bayern Munich has given him a chance to revive his career, which had stalled at Manchester City. He lost his starting spot for Man City this season, and Pep Guardiola preferred other options at right-back. Cancelo’s move to Bayern Munich has given him a chance to play regularly and prove his worth.
Bayern Munich has a strong squad, and it will be interesting to see if Cancelo can break into the first team. The German side has several options at right-back, including Benjamin Pavard and Bouna Sarr. However, Cancelo’s versatility could be an asset for Bayern Munich, as he can play in multiple positions across the backline.
The first leg of the quarter-final tie between Manchester City and Bayern Munich promises to be an exciting encounter. Both teams have been in excellent form this season and will be looking to advance to the semi-finals of the Champions League. For Cancelo, it is a chance to show his former club what they are missing and help Bayern Munich reach the next round of the competition.
In conclusion, Joao Cancelo’s move to Bayern Munich has given him a chance to revive his career and play regularly. He is eligible to play against his former club Manchester City in the Champions League quarter-finals, and it remains to be seen if he will feature in the starting XI. However, if he does, he will be hoping to make an impact and help Bayern Munich advance to the semi-finals of the competition.