Soccer-Man City allowed Cancelo to join Bayern for more playing time, says Guardiola
Feb 3 (Reuters) -Bayern Munich's deadline day capture of Manchester City full back Joao Cancelo had fans scratching their heads but manager Pep Guardiola said he was allowed to leave the Premier League champions in search of more game time at the German club.
Cancelo, a two-times league winner with City who was selected twice in the Premier League Team of the Year, moved to Bayern on an initial loan deal and the Bundesliga side can sign the 28-year-old permanently in the summer.
The Portugal international lost his place in City's starting lineup after the World Cup but brushed aside reports of a breakdown with Guardiola, who said he was happy with his squad even though Cancelo's departure leaves them light at the back.
"Next season, I don't know what happens. (He was) an incredible figure in the last two leagues we won. After the World Cup, we had a pre-season and decided to play, in some patterns, different," Guardiola told reporters on Friday.
"I liked what I watched. I gave more time to other players. His personality is he loves to play. He trains the best (but) the situation is he doesn't play much. In the last years, he was one of the players with the most minutes.
"He needs to play to be happy, we decided to let him go to Munich. If Bayern Munich want Joao it's because he's an exceptional player. I won't say a bad word. His work ethic, passion, skills - everyone knows it."
Guardiola said he had a chat with the club's director of football Txiki Begiristain about a possible replacement on deadline day but opted to wait a few months so they could potentially invest in the summer instead.
City are five points behind leaders Arsenal and Guardiola's side next play away at Tottenham Hotspur who are fifth in the standings.
With Arsenal having a game in hand, the pressure is on City to reel them in but Guardiola has lost all four of his visits to the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium in all competitions.
"Because they were better than us. We played decent games (but) missed penalties," he said.
"Now with Antonio Conte (in charge), the quality they have up front, the organisation - they're a tough opponent, always have been in the last few years.
"They've been fighting for Champions League (qualification), they've been in the top four for many, many years. So it's a tough place to go."
Reporting by Rohith Nair in Bengaluru;
Editing by Christian Radnedge
Pinakabagong Balita
Disclaimer: Ang mga kabilang sa XM Group ay nagbibigay lang ng serbisyo sa pagpapatupad at pag-access sa aming Online Trading Facility, kung saan pinapahintulutan nito ang pagtingin at/o paggamit sa nilalaman na makikita sa website o sa pamamagitan nito, at walang layuning palitan o palawigin ito, at hindi din ito papalitan o papalawigin. Ang naturang pag-access at paggamit ay palaging alinsunod sa: (i) Mga Tuntunin at Kundisyon; (ii) Mga Babala sa Risk; at (iii) Kabuuang Disclaimer. Kaya naman ang naturang nilalaman ay ituturing na pangkalahatang impormasyon lamang. Mangyaring isaalang-alang na ang mga nilalaman ng aming Online Trading Facility ay hindi paglikom, o alok, para magsagawa ng anumang transaksyon sa mga pinansyal na market. Ang pag-trade sa alinmang pinansyal na market ay nagtataglay ng mataas na lebel ng risk sa iyong kapital.
Lahat ng materyales na nakalathala sa aming Online Trading Facility ay nakalaan para sa layuning edukasyonal/pang-impormasyon lamang at hindi naglalaman – at hindi dapat ituring bilang naglalaman – ng payo at rekomendasyon na pangpinansyal, tungkol sa buwis sa pag-i-invest, o pang-trade, o tala ng aming presyo sa pag-trade, o alok para sa, o paglikom ng, transaksyon sa alinmang pinansyal na instrument o hindi ginustong pinansyal na promosyon.
Sa anumang nilalaman na galing sa ikatlong partido, pati na ang mga nilalaman na inihanda ng XM, ang mga naturang opinyon, balita, pananaliksik, pag-analisa, presyo, ibang impormasyon o link sa ibang mga site na makikita sa website na ito ay ibibigay tulad ng nandoon, bilang pangkalahatang komentaryo sa market at hindi ito nagtataglay ng payo sa pag-i-invest. Kung ang alinmang nilalaman nito ay itinuring bilang pananaliksik sa pag-i-invest, kailangan mong isaalang-alang at tanggapin na hindi ito inilaan at inihanda alinsunod sa mga legal na pangangailangan na idinisenyo para maisulong ang pagsasarili ng pananaliksik sa pag-i-invest, at dahil dito ituturing ito na komunikasyon sa marketing sa ilalim ng mga kaugnay na batas at regulasyon. Mangyaring siguruhin na nabasa at naintindihan mo ang aming Notipikasyon sa Hindi Independyenteng Pananaliksik sa Pag-i-invest at Babala sa Risk na may kinalaman sa impormasyong nakalagay sa itaas, na maa-access dito.
