Striving to go further in the Champions League, Cancelo aims to help Barcelona achieve their goals.

2026-04-08 05:11

The first leg of the 2025/26 UEFA Champions League quarter-finals will feature another highly anticipated match, with Barcelona hosting Atletico Madrid at Camp Nou. Portuguese defender João Cancelo stated that both Barcelona and their opponents will be playing with the same goals, and he hopes to rely on his own abilities and that of his teammates to help the team achieve those goals.

In an earlier La Liga match, Barcelona faced Atletico Madrid, coached by Diego Simeone, and after trailing by one goal, they ultimately defeated the "Rojiblancos" 2-1 thanks to goals from Rashford and Lewandowski.

Barcelona defender Cancelo said, "We must control the game and strive for victory in this very important competition for us. We all dream of advancing, but our opponents have the same goal. We will do everything we can and be highly motivated to get through this and advance to the semi-finals."

"As time goes by and I continue to train with my teammates, I expect my talent to gradually emerge. No one believes in myself more than I do, and I will continue to work hard to help the team achieve its goals."

Speaking about the injured Rafinha, Cancelo said, "He's one of our leaders, he's always inspiring the team. He's also feeling bad right now because he knows how important this is to the team. But with Rafinha out, Rashford will be ready to step up."

“The pace and style of play are different now, and we have to take some risks, but that’s Barcelona’s style. Flick requires us to press high up the pitch at all times so that we can control the game most of the time.”

Furthermore, the 31-year-old Cancelo was loaned to Barcelona in January of this year. Regarding his future career, Cancelo said, "Anything can happen in football. I will continue to work hard. I know what I think about next season, but I won't say it. Right now, I'm only playing for Barcelona, and my future isn't the focus."

Image source: Internet