Phil Foden sends message to Joao Cancelo after Al-Hilal humble Man City
Manchester City came up against several familiar faces as their Club World Cup campaign ended ahead of schedule.
Pep Guardiola‘s side were out to avoid a first trophyless season since 2016–17 when they entered FIFA’s revamped summer tournament, and had won maximum points with 13 goals scored in the group stage.
Man City easily swept Wydad Casablanca, Al Ain and Juventus aside to top Group G with a 100 per cent record and goal difference of +11, but their clash with Al-Hilal proved to be more difficult than expected.
The Saudi Pro League side may have conceded to Bernardo Silva inside nine minutes, but turned things around soon after half-time and wouldn’t go behind again in one of the Club World Cup‘s biggest shocks.
Man City sent packing after Al-Hilal debacle
Marcos Leonardo and Malcom’s goals had turned Man City’s 1-0 lead into a 2-1 deficit within seven minutes of the restart, and Simone Inzaghi’s side didn’t let up even after Erling Haaland had equalised.
Al-Hilal went ahead once again through Kalidou Koulibaly in extra time, and Marcos Leonardo struck once again after Phil Foden‘s equaliser to secure a famous 4-3 victory which sends Man City home early.
Koulibaly was joined in Al-Hilal’s side by fellow ex-Premier League duo Ruben Neves and Joao Cancelo, and the latter set up Malcom’s 52nd minute strike to come back and haunt his former employers.
At full-time, Foden crossed paths with Cancelo over two years on from the right-back’s final Man City appearance, and the England star shared a photo of their embrace on his Instagram story (1 July).
Man City left to regret Joao Cancelo transfer sagas
Football Insider Verdict
Although Cancelo’s permanent move from the Etihad Stadium to Al-Hilal was only sealed last summer, the 31-year-old had already been loaned out to Bayern Munich and Barcelona in the two seasons prior.
Neither Bayern nor Barcelona took up the opportunity to sign Cancelo permanently, but last season suggested City were perhaps too quick to cut ties with the Portuguese given their troubles at right-back.
Cancelo’s Portugal team-mate Matheus Nunes has often been forced to deputise in what has become a problem position for City, with Kyle Walker aging, out of favour and loaned to AC Milan last season.
Man City are on the hunt for a new right-back this summer with Nunes not a natural fit in the backline, but their Club World Cup exit suggests that keeping Cancelo in the fold may have been a sensible idea.