Barcelona star ruled out of Atletico Madrid clash due to injury: Reports
According to Barca Times on X, Joao Cancelo has been ruled out of Barcelona's La Liga clash against Atletico Madrid due to physical problems. The two Spanish giants are set to lock horns at the Wanda Metropolitano on Sunday, March 17.
Cancelo, 29, joined Blaugrana on loan from Manchester City last summer and has since been a key player for Xavi's side. He has so far made 32 appearances across competitions, scoring four goals and providing four assists.
The full-back started and got on the scoresheet midweek as La Blaugrana hammered Napoli 3-1 in the UEFA Champions League Round-of-16 second leg to book their slot in the last eight of the competition.
However, he is set to be absent against Atleti due to a physical issue. The clash at Wanda Metropolitano is crucial for both sides in terms of their respective positions in the league table.
Xavi's side are currently third in the table with 61 points from 28 matches. They trail second-placed Girona by a point and league leaders Real Madrid by 11 points. Barcelona, though, have a game in hand over both teams. As for Los Rojiblancos, they are currently fifth with 55 points from 28 matches.
Jorge Mendes looking to convince Manchester City to sell Joao Cancelo to Barcelona for €20 million: Reports
Joao Cancelo is currently on loan from Manchester City and his future at the Etihad looks bleak. The Portuguese, meanwhile, has flourished at Barcelona and the La Liga giants want a permanent move.
Barca, though, are not expected to be able to offer more than €20 million in the summer due to their cash-strapped situation. Cancelo, meanwhile, has a contract with the Cityzens until the end of the 2026-27 season, and the aforementioned sum is quite low for a player of his caliber.
According to Mundo Deportivo, super agent Jorge Mendes could come to Barca's aid and look to convince Manchester City to sell Cancelo for a lower sum. As per the report, Barca are also open to the option of taking Cancelo on loan for another season.