Champions League – Pep Guardiola gave him the keys: Joao Cancelo, the real mastermind of Manchester City

It would almost be to forget Kevin De Bruyne. Considered the cornerstone of Pep Guardiola’s Manchester City, the Belgian midfielder is struggling in this first part of the exercise. Often injured, sometimes beside his pumps, KDB has compiled just two goals and a small assist in twelve appearances this season. Far from his usual standards. However, the Citizens turn (almost) always as well, with a place of dolphin in the Premier League and the head of group A of the Champions League, in front of Paris Saint-Germain, which they will face this Wednesday evening to try to definitively validate their ticket to the round of 16 of the competition.

So how do you explain it? If the formation of Pep Guardiola has not changed so much, a player is totally out of his box: Joao Cancelo. The Manchester City left side has never ceased to dazzle since the start of the season. His latest achievement on the European scene? Three assists against Bruges, during the last outing of his team, on November 4. One for Phil Foden, one for Riyad Mahrez and another for Gabriel Jesus to make the Belgian champions dizzy, swept 4-1. A feat that gave Pep Guardiola new reasons to praise him : “He’s been playing amazingly well since the start of the season. He’s playing in a special position and his ability to do everything right amazes me match after match ”, let go of the Spanish tactician whose pride lights up his face.

“Selling Cancelo is spitting in the face of football”

Holder in each of City’s meetings since the start of the season, the Portuguese international is slowly but surely placing himself as one of the very best full-backs in the world. And he wanted to prove it to his compatriot Cristiano Ronaldo during the Manchester derby, by delivering a new offering to Bernardo Silva before the international break (2-0). Back from selection, Cancelo did it again, this weekend against Everton by unlocking a badly embarked situation of an outside foot of more than 30 meters to allow Raheem Sterling to open the scoring (3-0) in order to return to three small points from Chelsea at the top of the Premier League. You will understand, when Joao Cancelo shines, City rolls on his opponent. And it is far from being a surprise.

Because few players are able to distill such wonderful passes as Joao Cancelo. Forced to evolve against low blocks given their punching power, the Citizens often rely on their 27-year-old defender. Former of the Juventus house, he caused a big misunderstanding when his ex-sports director, Fabio Paratici, let him fly to England, against 65 million euros. And Antonio Cassano did not hesitate to recall it on the sidelines of the superb performances of the Portuguese: “Juve who sell such a player, it seems crazy to me. I would never have given it for 400 million euros. Selling Cancelo is spitting in the mouth of football. He is a phenomenon that could even play attacking so much that he is talented ”. And it is not his coach who will say the opposite. Fernando Santos sees it modestly as “The best full-back in the world”.

A left side as free as the air

Ultra-versatile, free to move wherever he wants on the pitch, Joao Cancelo is the real keystone of Pep Guardiola’s organization. Yet when he landed in Manchester in 2019, his debut was complicated. Barred by Kyle Walker, he played only 17 small games, including 13 starts, during the entire 2019/2020 season. Even Pep Guardiola seemed to flounder with the one who took a long time to justify the sum disbursed by his leaders.

Left side, right side, midfielder … his versatility even seemed to harm him. Before his trainer finally finds the magic formula: Cancelo will be left side, full stop. And who cares if he has only played around thirty matches at this position since the start of his career. A great find. Because, since then, the Portuguese and his coach have never stopped feasting. Joao Cancelo is becoming a master in the art of redundancy by finding his place in the heart of the game from the offensive phase, before setting himself up as the front line of defense when the ball is lost. A role reminiscent of that of a certain Philipp Lahm under the orders of Guardiola at Bayern Munich. For the success we have known to him.