AS JOAO CANCELO is discovering, sometimes the grass is not always greener outside of the Premier League.
What should have been a career-changing loan spell with Bayern Munich has turned into a period of frustration for the Portugal wing-back.
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Cancelo, 28, is set to miss the biggest game of the season so far: Wednesday’s Champions League last 16, second leg against Paris Saint-Germain.
Bayern chief Julian Nagelsmann will likely choose a more defensive approach, with academy graduate Josip Stanisic set to replace the suspended Benjamin Pavard.
Amid reports of training-ground rows with boss Pep Guardiola, Cancelo pushed to leave Manchester City in January.
And despite having no viable back-up, the club agreed.
But since arriving in the Bundesliga, Cancelo has yet to complete a full 90 minutes for Bayern. The four times he has started he has been hooked.
And in recent weeks, Nagelsmann has gone with a back three and Cancelo has been stuck on the bench.
Images of him sulking in training on Monday will not have helped.
It certainly will not persuade Bayern his £61.5million buy-out option is worth exploring.
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Nagelsmann yesterday praised “reliable” and “speedy” Stanisic, expecting the Croat, 22, to play despite a slight hamstring concern.
Striker Thomas Muller said: “Stani’s qualities are there to see. He’s a really tough fighter, he’s technically gifted.”
Meanwhile, Muller says Bayern have a plan to stop Kylian Mbappe as they protect a slender 1-0 lead from the first leg.
The German, 33, said: “If it goes according to our plan, he’s not going to have too much fun.”
