Manchester City would face Bayern Munich in a pulsating UEFA Champions League quarter-final two legged affair in April and the Cityzens have confirmed that Joao Cancelo is eligible to feature against them in both legs.
Cancelo joined Bayern Munich on loan from Manchester City in the winter transfer window after a starting shirt with the side appeared out of sight due to Pep Guardiola sending him to the bench.
The Portuguese defender would be eligible to play against his parent club as rules in the Premier League do not allow players who are on loan to play against their parent club unless agreed otherwise.
He would be allowed to feature against Manchester City because the rule in European competitions is different from the Premier League
However, this rule does not have a place in European competitions like the UEFA Champions League except also stated otherwise by the parent club.
When drafting contracts, football teams can come to the round table to restrict players from featuring against them during their period on loan.
Nevertheless, Manchester City didn’t include that kind of clause to their contractual agreement with Bayern Munich for Joao Cancelo and this implies that he would be able to play when both sides face in the quarter-final.
The current loan deal of Cancelo with the German heavyweights runs till the end of the campaign although Bayern Munich do not have the chance to purchase the full-back in the summer transfer window.
Joao Cancelo’s contract with Manchester City runs till 2027 amidst the squabble between him and Pep Guardiola that led to him exiting on loan in January.
On the 7th of August in 2019, the Portuguese put pen-to-paper on a 6-year-deal to join Manchester City from Juventus with the English side paying an estimated £27.4 million to acquire his services alongside letting go of Danilo the other way.
The entire amount for the deal rose up to around £60 to £63 million, which made him the costliest right back in the history of football.
In 2022, Manchester City confirmed that the full-back has penned a contract extension with the club for a further two years.
The Portuguese time with the club started on a great note but it has soon shifted towards another direction for several reasons that bother on discipline, wrong interpretation of the managers plan and falling out completely with the manager.
Joao Cancelo was delighted when he extended his contract with Manchester City in 2022
The on-loan Bayern Munich man was in good spirits when he extended his contract with the side in 2022 and he said: “Manchester City is a fantastic club, so I am incredibly happy to have signed this new agreement.
“City players have everything they need to reach their full potential, with amazing facilities, world-class teammates and an incredible manager who pushes us every single day.
“There is nowhere better to play football and it’s a pleasure to work here.
“I have so much I want to achieve before my career ends, and Manchester City offers me the best chance of fulfilling my ambitions.
“This new contract means I now have complete focus on improving my game and winning more trophies with this team.”
Joao Cancelo has scored 9 goals for Manchester City in 154 appearances and for the Seleção of Portugal, he has netted 7 times in 41 appearances for the nation.
