Joao Cancelo reveals Pep Guardiola conversation before Man City exit

The Spanish defender left Etihad to join Bayern for the second half of the season.

Joao Cancelo has revealed he decided to leave Manchester City after a conversation with Pep Guardiola.

The experienced defender completed a shock move to Bayern Munich last month. Reports emerged in English media about a bust-up between Cancelo and Guardiola that apparently led to his mid-season exit.

However, the Man City loanee insists his departure was a result of Guardiola’s change of tactics after the World Cup.

“He [Pep] found a way to play, after the World Cup, in which he started playing with a full-back more inside, where I also played, and he liked what he saw with Rico [Lewis] and Nathan [Ake],” Cancelo told Portuguese outlet O Jogo.

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“But I think a player is always a bit selfish. Any player wants to feel important, wants to play and anyone who says otherwise is lying.

“A competitive player, like me, who aspires to win titles, just wants to play. It’s not a question of devaluing my teammates. But I thought I deserved to play and he didn’t.

“So we talked, it was a conversation, not a discussion, and we decided that the best thing would be for me to leave this market. An opportunity I couldn’t refuse.

“It was by mutual agreement. If City didn’t want to, they wouldn’t let me leave, because I had a contract.

“I’m very professional, I’ve always given my face for all the clubs. I have a difficult personality, yes, but I have never, at any time, disrespected team-mates or coaches.”