Joao Cancelo believes both Barcelona and Napoli are having tough seasons, but the Champions League could help turn things around for one of them. The former Juve, Inter and Manchester City full-back spoke with La Gazzetta dello Sport ahead of Tuesdays match and touched on his career progression, hopes for his immediate future, and what kind of match he expects against the Partenopei:
“I have a very strong personality, but I know that I am a good person, very pure and transparent, and probably for this reason, I am not liked by many people, but I prefer that they tell me things to my face and not talk behind my back, and I do the same, I have been like this since I was a child.”
Benfica, Valencia, Inter, Juventus, City, Bayern, Barcelona, and you’re not yet 30 years old.
“I have been lucky to play only in big teams. I am very proud of my journey and my career because no one has given me anything for free, ever. It is the result of sacrifice, they have all been my conquests.”
And the future? you’re on loan at Barca…
“I don’t know anything, but I would like to stay here. I grew up admiring Ronaldinho’s Barcelona, my idol, for me, it’s a pride to wear this shirt. And there aren’t many other clubs where I can go, right?”
It hasn’t been an easy year.
“No, not at all. Barcelona is a special club. The coach said he’s leaving, the team has had ups and downs throughout the season, a difficult dynamic to explain, but football always gives you the chance to redeem yourself, and a victory against Napoli would be just that, a vindication, our season would take on a different aspect. In football, there are good moments and less good moments like in life, and we must remain positive and united. You know what?”
What?
“In answering the question about us, I think of Napoli. Football is a strange sport. Theirs is a difficult year too. They win the league playing spectacularly, they have to change coach, they choose, and it’s not good. They change, and it’s not good, so they change again. It happens. You try, in good faith, and it doesn’t work. And at Napoli, the pressure of winning is equal to ours at Barcelona.”
And now? How do you see Napoli?
“Preliminary: I have always liked Napoli a lot, for Maradona, and because it is a neighborhood team, popular and with deep roots in the city. When I arrived in Italy, there was Sarri and they played great football, an aspect they have always valued. In the first leg, we left them alive, we had a great first half and we should have scored more. We were superior, they did little, but now we start on equal terms.”
Kvara-Osimhen are scary?
“And Politano? They are exceptional talents, Osimhen in the first leg with half a ball scored against us, he is one of the best strikers in the world. But there is more: I like Zielinski, who cannot play because he is not on the list, and Lobotka, I faced him with Portugal and he is a great player.”
Calzona’s Slovakia side….
“Yes, who had a great qualification for the Euros, losing only against us. I know him little, but he seems to me to be a great coach, Napoli is playing better, we will have to pay attention. Also because, always to insist on the strangeness of football, compared to the first leg we lost two important players like Pedri and De Jong and they gained confidence and morale. It will be very tough, but Barcelona is one of the greatest institutions in world football and we have a broad and qualified squad to go through.”
A squad with a special petal, Lamine Yamal.
“Incredible. Playing for Barcelona at 16 is not for everyone. He has a special talent, but football is not just talent, you have to have the mentality and – from what I see – Lamine has it. If he stays level-headed and those around him help him keep his feet on the ground, I think he can have an incredible future. And watch out for Cubarsí and Fermin too: La Masia is doing a great job, raising great players.”
You mentioned Italy: memories?
“Magnificent. Mine, on the field, and my family’s, off it. I know that Inter fans did not appreciate my move to Juventus, and I’m sorry because I made many friends in Milan. On a human level, Italy is the country most similar to Portugal that I have encountered on my European Tour, I was really pleased to pass through there.”
Let’s finish with Atletico-Inter.
“Difficult, very difficult. Two similar teams in the way they play, I expect a very physical match between two great teams. I don’t know, anything can happen even if Inter always wins and has the league in hand. Right now, they’re at the top, second only to City. For me, Guardiola’s team is the favorite for victory, for squad, playing style, and coach. It is the only team that has won 8 out of 8 games, they have everything to repeat. But after City, there is Inter today.”
