Frustrated Joao Cancelo storms down Camp Nou tunnel after Barcelona's presentation snub

Cancelo cut a visibly frustrated figure as he stormed back to the dressing room while waiting to be presented to the Camp Nou crowd on Wednesday. Every member of the Barcelona squad was introduced individually ahead of their annual Joan Gamper Trophy fixture. Meanwhile, Cancelo was seen wearing the No. 2 shirt in the tunnel before suddenly departing, leaving his team-mates completely puzzled.

The reason for the sudden change of plans quickly emerged from the local media. According to Spanish journalist Victor Navarro, Barcelona fully intended to unveil Cancelo alongside the rest of the squad, but were unable to proceed because the full-back's registration remained incomplete.

The reports confirmed that Saudi Pro League side Al-Hilal had already agreed with Cancelo to terminate his contract, which was due to expire at the end of the season. This agreement was reached in exchange for the Portuguese star waiving the rest of his dues. However, the final paperwork for his switch to Barcelona has not yet been finalised. This unexpected administrative delay meant that Cancelo officially remained an Al-Hilal player at the time of the presentation.

While Cancelo was forced to wait, new Barcelona signing Rodri received the biggest ovation from the home crowd prior to kick-off. The Spanish midfielder signed a four-year contract with the Liga outfit earlier this week after completing a £65 million move from Manchester City. Rodri arrives in Catalonia with a massive reputation, having been named the best player of the 2026 World Cup.

The defender is also no stranger to the Catalan faithful, given that he played on loan at Camp Nou during the second half of the last campaign and the 2023–24 season.

The focus for the squad now shifts firmly towards the start of the new Liga campaign. Behind the scenes, Barca officials will be working diligently to resolve the outstanding registration issues.

The 32-year-old full-back is poised to become Barcelona’s new No. 2 for the upcoming season. Once the paperwork is sorted and his transfer from Al-Hilal is officially sealed, Cancelo will be ready to resume his career in Spain.