Joao Cancelo has offered a response to Rio Ferdinand after the former Manchester United defender was heavily critical of his performance for Barcelona against Paris Saint-Germain.
Barca were knocked out of the Champions League in the quarter-finals on Tuesday night after PSG won 4-1 on the night and 6-4 on aggregate. The home side contributed to their downfall, with centre-back Ronald Araujo sent off after just 29 minutes for a last-man foul and Cancelo conceding a second-half penalty.
Raphinha had put them 1-0 up on the night and 4-2 up on aggregate in the 12th minute before it all went wrong. Ousmane Dembele equalised and Vitinha fired in a second before Cancelo’s foul on Dembele allowed Kylian Mbappe to score the first of his two decisive goals.
Working as a pundit for TNT Sports, Ferdinand accused Cancelo of being "silly, naive and like an inexperienced young player in panic station mode." The on-loan Manchester City full-back hit out at the death threats aimed at his unborn daughter but was willing to accept Ferdinand’s criticism.
"Ferdinand was a great player, but I am sure he made mistakes as well," Cancelo told ESPN. "We all do. But of course, it's his job, he's an analyst and he has the right to say what he thinks. I accept it, it's his opinion. Maybe the way I gave the penalty away was a childish [mistake], but with how the game was, my head at the moment, well, I accept the criticism."
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The defeat could have effectively brought Barcelona’s season to a close, with Real Madrid eight points clear at the top of La Liga ahead of Sunday evening’s Clasico. Xavi is stepping down as manager at the end of the season and Cancelo admitted he has found things difficult in 2023/24.
"Criticise my performances, I don't mind but don't speak about my family,” he added. "It has been a really difficult week, to be honest. We were excited to go far in the Champions League. I think this club deserves it, but it's a week we have to leave behind.
Joao Cancelo brought down Ousmane Dembele to concede a penalty (Xavier Laine/Getty Images)"That night [after PSG ] I didn't sleep because I couldn't. Personally, when I don't win, I really struggle to sleep because I feel like I didn't do my job [well], I didn't do well. I am just speaking for myself. It was a strange game. How we lost I think was what stopped me sleeping. I feel 11 vs. 11 we would have been able to win. But we have to keep going."
Cancelo has made 35 appearances for Barca this season, starting nine of their 10 matches in the Champions League. The 29-year-old’s loan spell will expire in June and his future remains uncertain because he is under contract with City until June 2027, despite having fallen out with Pep Guardiola.
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