FC Barcelona: João Cancelo declares his love for his teammates

Barcelona — After Sunday’s 3-0 dismissal of Levante that lifted FC Barcelona back to the summit of La Liga on matchday 25, João Cancelo strode off the Camp Nou pitch with the satisfied air of a man who had influenced both the scoreboard and the mood inside the dressing room. The Portuguese full-back, introduced as a substitute, supplied the assist for the hosts’ decisive second goal, but it was his post-match declaration that resonated loudest.

“This is the best locker room I’ve ever had in my career,” Cancelo told reporters. “It was already like this in 2023. That’s also partly why I came back.” The sentiment carries extra weight given the 29-year-old’s recent spell in Saudi Arabia with Al-Hilal, a sojourn that ended with a winter return to Catalonia and a conspicuous spring in his step.

Hansi Flick has deployed Cancelo sparingly in the league—only two starts prior to the weekend—but the player’s cameo against Levante underlined why the German coach values his versatility and attacking thrust. Barça now sit one point clear of second-placed Real Madrid with thirteen fixtures remaining, and the squad harmony extolled by Cancelo could prove as pivotal as any tactical tweak down the stretch.