The NFL off-season is beginning to heat up nearly a month after the Super Bowl, and the quarterback carousel that promises to include plenty of movement has already begun. For the New York Jets, things are already looking pretty bleak given their expectations in acquiring a QB.
The Jets were one of the most talented young teams in the league, with upcoming talent on both sides of the ball that should keep New York competitive for years to come. They were surprisingly competitive during the beginning of the 2022 season, too, They got off to a 6-3 start and were in the thick of the AFC playoff race, but the wheels eventually came off, and the Jets went 1-7 down the stretch.
Carr Signs With Saints; What Does It Mean For The New York Jets?
Much of the issues stemmed from the poor play and injuries that they endured from their quarterback position. The Zach Wilson project was an abject failure, and he was benched and subsequently brought back because New York was out of other options. Mike White showed the promise that he often does as the backup signal caller, but he endured health problems, and Joe Flacco had the same fate. Even Chris Streveler got playing time.
If there is any team in the NFL that is considered to be a “quarterback away”, it is the New York Jets. They were thought to be one of the biggest and most active players in acquiring a QB this off-season, and rumors of Aaron Rodgers joining Gang Green have even been floated. And while Rodgers still has to make decisions about his future, hope is slipping away for the Jets to land one of the big names on the market.
Happy Derek Carr found a home with the @Saints No one ever wants to be treated like an option in a relationship and that’s exactly what the Jets did to him. The Saints treated Derek like he was the only one for them and now they are in the Carr riding off into the sunset.
Derek Carr was thought to be the backup plan to Rodgers. If rumors are true, the former MVP is considering either returning to the Packers, playing for the Raiders, or outright retiring. And if Rodgers doesn’t come to the Jets, then they’ll have to come up with plan C.
Carr agreed to terms with the New Orleans Saints on Monday, leaving the Jets out in the cold as the first domino in the QB carousel fell. Their options took a serious downgrade, as they will now have to look to the next tier of potentially available quarterbacks to try and plug in to their system.
As it stands today, the Jets have +1800 odds to win the Super Bowl, which is 7th best of any team in the league. That number would have certainly shrunk had they been able to acquire Carr, just as the number for the Saints did. New Orleans went from +4000 to +2500 to win the Super Bowl as soon as the news was announced on Monday.
John Cena walked out to a packed TD Garden in Boston on Monday Night Raw like it was still 2003. His iconic intro track The Time Is Now blasting, the crowd knewThe Champ was back. They welcomed with the the loudest and most enthusiastic pop in recent memory.
The moment was almost too much for an emotional Cena, who clutched his face with both hands. The Cenation Leader may have gone Hollywood, but he fit right back into his WWE home like a glove.
John Cena savagely roasted Austin Theory
Cena took to the ring and ruthlessly roasted current US WWE Champion Austin Theory. The WWE legend was not impressed by Theory. Quite the contrary, in fact: “I’d rather be bald than have them pipe in fake crowd noises for my matches because nobody cares.”
John Cena didn’t stop there. He called Theory mindless, heartless and even went after the size of his manhood. “You don’t have it here”, he said before tapping the reigning champ’s crotch.
At 45 years of age, Cena will make his fans day with this return to WrestleMania 39. There, he’ll face Austin Theory in what will be his first fight as a professional since 2017.
Fans went wild over John Cena and Cody Rhodes linking up
From one WrestleMania challenger to another. John Cena made the fans erupt when he announced Royal Rumble champ Cody Rhodes: “Boston, you deserve to see someone worthy of this stage. The nightmare, the American Nightmare, Cody Rhodes!”
The final blow to Austin Theory took place, and a never-before seen reunion of Rhodes and Cena took place.
What a night for Boston, wrestling fans, the WWE and John Cena.
In football, there is always a risk of whether a talented youngster can take the final step to become the next star. And this thought has merits, as several players thrive at the youth levels before faltering when facing top-level football. However, there are some players who become even better as the level of football goes. Bayern Munich’s Jamal Musiala is a perfect example of a player who was touted to become a star from a young age and then also went and fulfilled their talent.
Musiala joined Bayern Munich when he was 16 and, in just three years, has gone from a prodigy to Bayern and Germany’s creative talents. And Musiala plays the game with a grace that is both effective and leaves the opposition bamboozled. His brilliant dribbles, eye-catching through passes and world-class intelligence have made him a man who is as good a goalscorer as he is a creator.
Jamal Musiala has managed to become a star of the game in just 20 years, and he will be among the next generation of top[p footballers who will dominate the game in this decade.
Jamal Musiala career stats
After joining Bayern Munich in 2019, Musiala played for the youth teams initially. He was so impressed with his performances that he caught the eyes of manager Hansi Flick. However, all football ground to a halt due to the Covid-19 pandemic. But what worked in Musiala’s favour was that the German league was the first to restart, and he finally got his Bundesliga debut on June 20 against Freiburg. Musiala was also part of the Champions League squad that won their fifth title.
And from the following season, he would become an integral part of the squad, being slowly given more minutes season by season. And the current season is the first where Musiala has finally become one of the first names on the team sheets. The youngster has 11 goals (the most by a Bayern Munich player) and has provided seven assists in the Bundesliga.
However, a deeper look at the stats tells us an exciting story. According to fbref, Musiala ranks among the top 10 percentile of attaining midfielders and wingers in over 20 metrics ranging from goals, assists, interceptions, touches, successful take-ons, and shot-creating actions, among others. There’s a stark difference, though; while other players have two or three metrics where they are among the top five players, Musiala is like a jack of all trades, extremely good at multiple things while not being the best in certain areas. This makes him a versatile player who can play anywhere across the front line.
Musiala is also brilliant at defending, making 0.99 interceptions, among the eighth percentile of attacking midfielders and wingers. However, Musiala has also been an overperformer in front of the goal. Data from Understat shows that the German was only expected to score 16 goals across all competitions but has managed to score 22 goals, an overperformance of 37.5 per cent.
His performance in the Bundesliga is even better. According to Soccerment, he was only expected to have an expected assist of 3.23 but has managed to double the tally in an actual number of assists. On top of that, he has a goal involvement every 84 minutes, with a shot success rate of 44.7 per cent and a goal-scoring accuracy of 23.4 per cent.
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Jamal Musiala’s strengths and weaknesses
Bayern Munich play a three-man midfield, meaning there is no position for a number 10, a role at which Musiala excels. However, Musiala has brilliant ball control and pace, which makes him a brilliant candidate to play as a left winger. Since his strong foot is right, he can cut back the ball on his right foot. This allows him to unleash a shot or play the perfect ball for his teammates, who can exploit the gaps in the opposition’s defence.
Musiala is also brilliant at one-on-one, which makes him more threatening at counter-attacks. However, even facing a low block defence, Musiala has been Bayern Munich’s best option, creating 35 chances. Despite Germany’s group-stage exit at the 2022 FIFA World Cup, he was the third-best player in terms of the Expected Threat metric.
All said and done, though, his greatest strength remains his versatility which allows him to play across a variety of positions. In addition, this diverse skill set allows him to bring his best against various opponents, tactics systems and defenders.
Playing as a left winger has also allowed Musiala to add other skills to his game. During his younger days, when he played a number 10 role, Musiala used his game intelligence to play pinpoint passes and crosses for his teammates.
Now though, Musiala has also added well-timed runs to his armour which, with his pace, makes him an even bigger menace for the opposition’s defenders. This is one of the reasons why he has scored the most goals for his team.
And all this has come in Musiala’s first season, where he is finally seen as a full-time starter. If he manages to keep up his progress, expect him to become probably the best winger in world football in the coming years.
Jamal Musiała transfer news
One of the clubs that will be kicking themselves over the incredible rise of Jamal Musiala will be Chelsea, a club that developed the German for eight years before allowing him to leave for Bavaria. And for any club looking to add him to their ranks will have to come with a record-breaking offer.
And with Thomas Muller not getting any younger, Jamal Musiala is the next superstar who will ensure Bayern have a quality player for the next ten years. And though we have seen top players leave clubs, in the current football world, players of Musiala’s calibre are rarely allowed to leave the club.
However, whether he stays or leaves Bayern Munich, Musiala is the real deal.
The Denver Broncos have a new man in charge, and Sean Payton is already the early heavy favorite to win the NFL’s Coach of the Year Award in 2023.
The Broncos had high hopes and expectations coming into the 2022 NFL season. They had previously had solid talent on both sides of the ball, and figured to get even stronger with the addition of nine-time Pro Bowl quarterback Russell Wilson. But things never panned out. No QB was sacked more often in 2022, and the dismal performance of the team led to the firing of head coach Nathaniel Hackett.
Sean Payton Is Early Favorite To Win NFL Coach Of The Year Award
There was always one obvious candidate to become the team’s next head coach. Sean Payton had taken a year off from football after stepping down as the leader of the New Orleans Saints at the end of the 2021 season. There were rumors that he flirted with the idea of becoming the Dolphins’ head coach, but the Broncos were in hot pursuit from the moment they had a vacancy.
After a few weeks of flirting, the two sides got a deal done, and Payton was actually traded from the Saints to the Broncos in exchange for draft picks.
The oddsmakers apparently believe that he has the power and the magic to turn the Broncos around. His odds to win the Coach of the Year Award currently stand at +600, far and away better than any other candidate. The next three in line are actually tied at +1200. Dan Campbell has been one of the hot candidates for the award for the last couple of years, and new Bears head coach Matt Eberflus is a hot candidate. Dennis Allen of the Saints is also tied.
One of the easiest ways to win the COY award is to drastically improve a team that underachieved the season before, which is why we see Payton and Eberflus at or near the top of the odds list. The Broncos obviously struggled but have the talent for a quick turnaround, and the Bears could be poised for a flip.
Chicago finished with the worst record in the league in 2022, but seemed to have found something special in quarterback Justin Fields. They are sitting in one of the most beneficial spots draft-wise, with the first overall pick in a QB-loaded class, when they feel that they already have their guy. Someone will pay top-dollar to trade up for a pass thrower, and the Bears will reap the benefits of the return.
But would it be enough to be better than Sean Payton and the Broncos? Doubtful, which is why everyone else is a long shot.
Ole Miss Rebels are gearing up for an exciting weekend as they host some top football recruits for the class of 2024. One player who will be visiting is four-star linebacker Tylen Singleton. On Saturday, March 11, Singleton will be on campus to meet with the Ole Miss coaching staff and check out the facilities.
Kiffin Hoping to Turn Singleton’s Head
At 6-foot-2 and 200 lbs, Singleton is the fourth-ranked linebacker in the class of 2024, according to ESPN. As a junior, he earned nearly every honor possible in Louisiana and guided Many to a state championship. Singleton also excels in track, boasting a 22.63-second time in the 200-meter dash as a sophomore.
While Singleton is believed to be favoring SEC rivals LSU, Ole Miss and head coach Lane Kiffin are hoping to sway his decision. The Rebels have a lot of work to do, but landing Singleton would be a massive coup for the program.
Singleton’s visit coincides with that of three-star tight end Dillon Hipp, who will also be on campus. Hipp is favoring schools out west but is taking visits to both Ole Miss and Miami.
Kiffin and his staff will be pulling out all the stops to impress Singleton and Hipp during their visit. They will have a chance to showcase the football program, the facilities, and the campus. They will also get to meet with current players and coaches to get a sense of the program’s culture.
It will be Singleton’s second visit, so he should be developing a deeper understanding of the program during this visit. That could give Kiffin cause for optimism.
Kiffin Focusing on Building Championship Program
The Rebels have been on an upward trajectory since Kiffin took over as head coach, and landing Singleton would be a significant milestone. The coaching staff will undoubtedly emphasize the opportunities that come with playing at Ole Miss, including the chance to play in the SEC and compete for conference and national titles.
Kiffin is known for his ability to recruit top talent, and he will be hoping to put those skills to use during Singleton’s visit. The coaching staff will need to make a compelling case for why he should choose Ole Miss over LSU and any other schools on his list.
In the end, the outcome of Singleton’s visit remains to be seen. While Ole Miss is hopeful they can persuade him to join, they know there’s a lot of work to do on the recruiting trail regardless. Landing a player of Singleton’s caliber would be a massive boost for the Rebels, but even if he decides to go elsewhere, the coaching staff will continue to work tirelessly to build a championship-caliber program.
Prince Harry and Meghan Markle have been officially invited to attend King Charles‘s coronation, but the couple has refused to confirm whether they will attend the historic event.
A spokesman for the couple said that they have received an email correspondence from His Majesty’s office regarding the Coronation, and their decision on whether to attend will not be disclosed at this time.
Furthermore, the Duke and Duchess of Sussex have been asked to vacate their UK home of Frogmore Cottage by King Charles. The couple confirmed that they have been asked to hand back the keys and will have until the autumn to move their belongings out of the Windsor residence.
There are speculations that the eviction may prompt the couple to decline the Coronation invite. Tensions remain high between Prince Harry and his family, with reports suggesting he is not currently in contact with his brother.
Though the King is said to be keen on reconciliation with his youngest son, Prince William is allegedly more sceptical and does not want Harry to attend the Coronation after he was repeatedly targeted in Harry’s memoir, Spare.
Archie’s birthday clash and low popularity leave Harry and Meghan undecided on attending King Charles’s Coronation
The couple’s popularity has taken a hit, and they have been the target of public ridicule. A recent poll for Newsweek showed their approval rating had plunged to new depths in America.
Additionally, the date of the Coronation clashes with Archie’s fourth birthday, and if Harry and Meghan decide to attend, they will be unable to celebrate the day with their son.
Furthermore, security concerns may also play a factor as Prince Harry has repeatedly asked for armed police protection whenever he and his family return to Britain and has launched legal action against the Home Office for its refusal to grant this.
It is believed the case may go before the High Court in early April, but it isn’t known whether a ruling could be reached before the Coronation of King Charles III on May 6. Hence, Harry may decide not to go if the matter has not been ruled on by then.
The Coronation invite appears to have been sent to Harry by the Palace through formal channels, with an aide inviting them via email. The impersonal approach suggests relations between Harry and the King are still poor, and the Duke of Sussex may feel affronted by not being informed directly by his father.
FROM GTECH COMMUNITY STADIUM – Brentford saw off west London rivals Fulham to give themselves momentum in the race for Europe.
The two neighbours on the River Thames have emerged as genuine contenders for Europa League or Europa Conference League football, with Thomas Frank’s men out-schooling Marco Silva’s on a bitter Monday night.
Brentford’s first half-sight of goal came within the opening two minutes when Ivan Toney dropped deep and let fly from 25 yards, forcing Bernd Leno to a low save to his right.
60 seconds later, they should have been in front. Mathias Jensen’s clever free-kick set Rico Henry racing down the left, and he put a cross on a plate for Bryan Mbeumo, who somehow missed the target from mere yards out.
The Cameroon international was then thwarted by Leno moments later when one on one with the German as the Bees’ incredibly fast start continued.
And they took the lead after six minutes. Fulham failed to clear a corner, with the ball falling to Aaron Hickey on the edge of the box. He swivelled and fired across to Ethan Pinnock, whose shot from just inside the box deflected in off Tim Ream.
After a quiet middle period of the first half, Toney got fans off their seats when his driven free-kick clipped the top of the crossbar.
Fulham found a leveller out of almost nothing just before the break. A free-kick from Andreas Pereira on the very edge of the Brentford box rattled the post, and Manor Solomon reacted quickest to head in the rebound, scoring for his fifth game in a row.
Just after the interval, Brentford were awarded a penalty when Issa Diop kicked Christian Norgaard’s foot when trying to defend a long throw-in from Mathias Jensen. Toney stepped up and scored from the spot, maintaining his perfect penalty record for the Bees.
The talismanic striker then nearly added a third for Brentford when he tried to lob Leno from just inside the Fulham half, with his audacious effort landing on top of the net.
The hosts sealed the points with five minutes remaining. Fulham substitute Cedric Soares hoofed a loose ball backwards and straight to Toney, who slipped in Kevin Schade, twisting and turning his way past Antonee Robinson to tee up Jensen at the near post.
Fulham did pull one back deep into eight minutes of stoppage time when a speculative strike from Pereira was punched away by David Raya, only for Carlos Vinicius to come in and score the rebound, but that was the final kick of the game.
Ninth-placed Brentford are now just two points behind Fulham in seventh but with two games in hand – if they’re really dreaming, they’re seven of fourth-placed Tottenham with that same deficit of matches to make up.
GK: David Raya – 5/10 – Swept up well and claimed several crosses. Should probably have done better with Fulham’s second goal.
RB: Aaron Hickey – 7/10 – Grabbed an assist and was an asset going forward. Had to react sharp to try and keep Solomon quiet.
CB: Ethan Pinnock – 8/10 – A large bit of fortune about his goal but hey, they all count. He and Mee kept Mitrovic under wraps.
CB: Ben Mee – 7/10 – A seemingly never-ending source of blocks and tackles.
LB: Rico Henry – 7/10 – Stretched play with his pace and width.
CM: Christian Norgaard – 7/10 – Reliable as ever in the middle of the park, sweeping up play effortlessly.
CM: Mathias Jensen – 8/10 – His switches of play and long throws troubled Fulham, ultimately leading to Toney’s penalty. A great run for the clincher.
RM: Bryan Mbeumo – 6/10 – Somehow wasn’t the one to break the deadlock. A little bit lucky those misses didn’t come back to haunt him.
AM: Mikkel Damsgaard – 7/10 – A surprise starter who made the most of it, dropping into central midfield when needed and driving at Fulham. Only blemish was giving away the free-kick which led to Solomon’s equaliser.
LM: Yoane Wissa – 6/10 – Struggled to consistently get on the ball. Swapped places with Toney at times but his teammates failed to pick out his runs.
CF: Ivan Toney – 9/10 – Put in major work at both ends and Fulham couldn’t deal with him. Nerves of steel from the spot as per, his 22nd successful penalty in a row.
Substitutes
Vitaly Janelt (76′ for Damsgaard) – 7/10
Kevin Schade (76′ for Wissa) – 8/10
Josh Dasilva (90′ for Mbeumo) – N/A
Mads Roerslev (90′ for Hickey) – N/A
Manager
Thomas Frank – 8/10 – Brentford were ruthlessly efficient in both boxes, blitzing Fulham when they needed to.
GK: Bernd Leno – 6/10 – Made a few decent saves, particularly amid Brentford’s fast start.
RB: Kenny Tete – 6/10 – Galloped up and down the right flank with unwavering enthusiasm.
CB: Issa Diop – 4/10 – The penalty was soft, but it was still a clumsy challenge for Diop to make.
CB: Tim Ream – 5/10 – Pinnock’s goal came off the American and while there’s not a lot he could have done about it, he did look his 35 years of age.
LB: Antonee Robinson – 5/10 – Like Tete offered great width for Fulham, but was put in a spin-dryer by Schade late on.
CM: Harrison Reed – 6/10 – Probably the calmest head in an aggressive midfield battle that Brentford at times were happy to cede.
CM: Sasa Lukic – 4/10 – A more competent referee than Anthony Taylor would have rightly sent Lukic off for two cynical fouls in the first half.
RM: Willian – 5/10 – Wound up when decisions didn’t go his way. Notably booked for diving.
AM: Andreas Pereira – 4/10 – Too often tried to join Mitrovic as another striker when he needed to get on the ball in deeper or wider areas instead.
LM: Manor Solomon – 7/10 – Fulham’s best player by far. Now scored in five games running and was a menace to the Bees.
CF: Aleksandar Mitrovic – 4/10 – Offered very little. Gobbled up by Pinnock and Mee.
Substitutes
Harry Wilson (75′ for Solomon) – 5/10
Bobby De Cordova-Reid (75′ for Lukic) – 5/10
Cedric Soares (83′ for Tete) – 3/10
Carlos Vinicius (83′ for Willian) – 6/10
Manager
Marco Silva – 4/10 – Fulham lacked intent on the ball, which Brentford were happy to let them have.
Ivan Toney scored a penalty as Brentford beat London rivals Fulham 3-2 to make it 12 Premier League games without a defeat.
The striker took his tally for the season to 16 with another deadly spot-kick to help sink the Bees’ local rivals.
Unfortunately for Brentford and Toney, should they succeed in their unlikely bid to reach the Europa League, they may have to enter it without their talisman.
Toney is facing the prospect of a lengthy ban after being charged with a total of 262 alleged breaches of the Football Association’s gambling laws dating back to 2017.
But as he promised this week in a social media post questioning the confidentiality of the FA’s investigation, Toney is concentrating on his football.
He got his first sight of goal with just two minutes on the clock, collecting the ball on the edge of the area before curling a low shot towards the corner which Fulham keeper Bernd Leno palmed away at full stretch.
Moments later Toney’s strike partner Bryan Mbeumo missed the simplest of chances, arriving at the far post to meet Rico Henry’s cross only to fire wide from all of four yards out.
Mbeumo was then denied by the outstretched leg of Leno before Brentford’s lightning-quick start was rewarded with a goal after only six minutes.
Fulham failed to deal with a corner and Ethan Pinnock’s drive took a wicked deflection off Fulham captain Tim Ream to leave Leno helpless.
Mbeumo almost made it two with a curling free-kick which flew narrowly wide and Toney tried an unorthodox pass with his backside which almost found Yoane Wissa, before the 26-year-old clipped the crossbar with a free-kick.
Moments later, and totally against the run of play, Fulham equalised from a free-kick of their own.
Andreas Pereira’s effort from the edge of the box came back down off the crossbar and bounced up for Manor Solomon to nod into an empty net for his fifth goal in five matches.
Serbian midfielder Sasa Lukic, making his full Fulham debut with Joao Palhinha suspended, was fortunate to escape a second booking just before half-time when he tripped Wissa as the winger threatened to burst clear on goal.
Brentford were gifted the lead five minutes into the second half when Issa Diop was penalised for the slightest kick on the foot of Christian Norgaard.
Toney stepped up to calmly convert his 21st penalty from the 21 he has taken for Brentford, stretching the Bees’ unbeaten streak to 12 Premier League matches and keeping them in the hunt for Europe.
Toney almost had another with an outrageous effort from the halfway line which floated just over.
Instead Mathias Jensen doubled the lead with five minutes remaining when he tucked away a cut-back from substitute Kevin Schade, before Carlos Vinicius pulled one back for Fulham in stoppage time.
Lionel Messi says he feels more settled at Paris Saint-Germain after a tough first season in the French capital.
After a shocking and unexpected departure from Barcelona, the Argentina star managed only six league goals in 2021/22, having last posted a figure that low back in 2006/07 as a youngster at Barcelona.
He’s been back on form this year though, contributing 13 goals and 12 assists in 21 Ligue 1 appearances to go alongside his World Cup triumph with Argentina in the winter.
Messi has now admitted he needed some time to settle after his departure from Barça.
He told PSG‘s in-house media: “The truth is I feel great. The first year I had a hard time adapting to Paris for different reasons.
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“This season I started differently, with a lot of enthusiasm, a lot of desire. [I’m] more comfortable with the club, the city and everything that Paris means.”
Messi scored the opener in PSG’s 4-2 win over Nantes on Saturday and needs to be on top form for their return fixture against Bayern Munich in the Champions League this week.
Bayern won the first leg as Kingsley Coman’s struck in a 1-0 victory, leaving PSG needing some sort of repeat of their victory at the Allianz Arena back in 2021. PSG won a game played behind closed doors 3-2 but have a generally poor head-to-head record against Bayern, losing five of the last six games.
Joao Cancelo will reportedly start on the bench for Bayern Munich in their Champions League last-16 second leg against Paris Saint-Germain.
The Manchester City defender made the shock loan move to the Bundesliga giants on deadline day in the winter transfer window.
He had fallen out of favour under Pep Guardiola following a run of sub-par performances and made the move to Germany to seek more playing time.
Guardiola preferred Nathan Ake and Rico Lewis in the build-up to Cancelo’s departure, which was understandable given his form, but also surprising given his impact over the previous two seasons.
Cancelo got off to a brilliant start with Bayern Munich, providing an assist 17 minutes into his debut – which came only two days after he joined the club.
However, the 28-year-old has failed to start and finish a game for the Bavarians and was an unused substitute against Stuttgart on Saturday.
Cancelo was substituted at half-time of the Champions League win at PSG and will reportedly start on the bench for the second leg.
This is according to Sky Germany journalist Florian Plettenberg, who claimed on Monday that Julian Nagelsmann is ‘likely’ to give the nod to 22-year-old full-back Josip Stanisic.
Nagelsmann has recently utilised a back three and the German coach believes Stanisic is better suited to the role of a wing-back, with Cancelo seen as a ‘typical right-back’.
Plettenberg claims that Cancelo is remaining ‘quiet’ but is unsurprisingly ‘frustrated’ by this decision and his lack of minutes in recent weeks.
Stanisic has featured 17 times across all competitions this season and played the full 90 minutes against Stuttgart.
There were reports of a fallout between Cancelo and Guardiola which led to the player’s City exit.
Both have denied that this is the case, though Cancelo did admit that the pair disagreed over what his role at the Premier League club should be.
The Portuguese international believes he “deserved” to be a regular starter for the Citizens, but Guardiola did not agree.
He said last month: “I respected his decision because I have to and this is a team of great footballers.
“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 like Pep said, I need to play to be happy.
“It’s not a question of devaluing my teammates, because others are on the bench to play. But I thought I deserved to play and he didn’t.”
