Bayern Munich manager Julian Nagelsmann says the reason for Joao Cancelo being left on the bench in recent times is due to the team’s set-up.
After a god start to life in Germany, the Portugal international has started just once in the last four games while he has played just 12 minutes in the last two games.
Cancelo left City to join Bayern on loan during the winter transfer window after reportedly falling out with Pep Guardiola.
He registered back-to-back assists in his first two games for the Bundesliga defending champions against Mainz and Wolfsburg but has failed to add to his tally while he has also lost his place in the starting lineup.
He played no part in Bayern’s win over the weekend against Stuttgart in the German topflight.
But Nagelsmann says the decision to drop the 28-year-old from his starting team is due to the formation he has deployed the team to play at the moment.
“He’s [Cancelo] handling the situation [of being benched] well,” the manager said over the weekend.
“I don’t have any impression that he’s breaking off. [Josip] Stanišić is a bit more defensive and João has never played right centre-back in a back 3.”
With the return league of the UEFA Champions League Last 16 tie against Paris Saint-Germain up next, it is unknown whether Cancelo will be back in the starting lineup having played the first half of the earlier fixture in Paris.
Quizzed on his team for the game, the gaffer added: “The decision hasn’t quite been made yet. I assume Stanišić will play, he had a bit of a thigh problem but was able to train. He’s very reliable, defends well, has good pace. He proved himself. He has the edge because Benji is suspended.”
