Joao Cancelo’s Redemption: A Gesture Reinforcing His Growing Commitment to Barça

Joao Cancelo (29 years old) took responsibility in the mixed zone for a significant portion of Barcelona’s defeat against Villarreal last Saturday. The defender apologized for “playing the worst 45 minutes of his career” after a critical mistake led to Ilias Akhomach’s goal and a 0-2 deficit at Montjuïc. Although Xavi Hernandez’s team later staged a comeback, Villarreal ultimately turned the tables, securing a final 3-5 victory.

Football often provides second chances, and on Wednesday, Cancelo started against Osasuna with a clear determination to rectify his error. On loan from Manchester City, the Portuguese player, with varying degrees of success, proved to be one of the most active among the Blaugranas, contrasting with the overall lackluster performance. Finally, in the 63rd minute, he delivered a delightful three-fingered assist, setting up Vitor Roque to score his debut goal for Barça with a header.

Roque celebrated passionately, but Cancelo matched that fervor, as has become his custom. Despite still being a ‘Cityzen,’ the Portuguese defender was one of the most exuberant players in the celebration. He pounded his chest, proudly displaying the badge, and gestured with frustration towards the stands, seemingly wanting to apologize to the fans for the previous match’s events.

Cancelo cannot be accused of apathy or a lack of passion for Barça; quite the opposite. His undeniable love for the club is evident, and pending developments in his future, the defender seems determined to stay in Barcelona from the summer onwards. As confirmed by Xavi, Cancelo left the Estadio de Gran Canaria in great frustration after sustaining an injury against Las Palmas. He missed the entire month of January and the Supercopa de España due to a medial collateral ligament strain in his left knee. Currently playing with protective bandaging, Cancelo gave fans a scare against Osasuna in the final minutes after a brilliant play that ended with an unsuccessful attempt against Aitor Fernández. He managed to recover and finish the match.

However, that wasn’t his only challenge, as he also required attention for a cut sustained in an incident with Areso. With the scoreboard showing 0-0, Cancelo felt the pressure to score against Osasuna, hence his jubilant reaction to Vitor’s goal.