Joao Cancelo is ready to pull on a Barcelona shirt once more. Officially registered in the Spanish league, the Portuguese is now available for selection, and Hansi Flick has hinted strongly that he could hand him an important role in Sunday's league clash with Elche.
Spanish newspaper "Sport" reports that Flick has made up his mind on Cancelo's readiness. The coach told the player he will get "a specific number of minutes" in the match, despite having trained with the squad just twice, and the technical staff have not ruled out starting him.
Flick also sent a clear message to Alejandro Balde, Cancelo's direct rival on the left flank, stressing that every player must buy fully into the team's project. "I need everyone to be 100% committed to us," he said.
Despite joining late, Cancelo carries a crucial advantage with Flick. The German has worked with him before and knows exactly what he offers. He deployed him at left-back once already, even though right-back has been his primary position throughout his career, and the experiment paid off during his first spell at the club.
The coach was full of praise for the technical qualities of the Portuguese defender. "He has wonderful technique, he has great passion, and he gave us a lot in the position he played," Flick said. "He was always in the right place and at his best, and he helped us a lot."
Any debate over the player's physical condition, Flick settled in a single line. "He is ready to play, and yes, he can play tomorrow," he insisted, pointing to Cancelo's normal involvement in group training from day one as proof of his confidence that the defender can hit match sharpness quickly.
Cancelo's return follows a contract with Barcelona that runs until 2029, sealed after the end of his time with Al-Hilal in a deal that hit several snags before completion. At his official presentation, the player admitted the past weeks had been difficult, but he clung to one goal: a return to the Catalan club. He was prepared, he said, to stay in Saudi Arabia without playing for a year if it meant achieving his dream of coming back to Barcelona.