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Do Barcelona have a João Cancelo problem? Should Hansi Flick continue to trust the full-back in the biggest games?

Barcelona earned a hard-fought comeback victory away to Atlético Madrid in a top-of-the-table La Liga clash on Sunday thanks to an excellent second half performance, but the Catalans really struggled in the opening period and João Cancelo had another concerning…

By Renato Gonçalves · Barca Blaugranes

Published: Monday, 9 November 2026 at 8:00 AM

Key Things to Know

Renato Gonçalves questions whether Hansi Flick can trust João Cancelo in Barcelona's biggest matches.
Cancelo made an error that led to Atlético Madrid's opening goal during Barcelona's comeback victory.
The writer argues Cancelo's defensive issues also proved costly against PSG and Real Madrid.

The Story in 60 Seconds

Renato Gonçalves questions whether Barcelona manager Hansi Flick should continue to trust João Cancelo in major fixtures following defensive struggles. Despite Barcelona earning a comeback victory against Atlético Madrid, Gonçalves notes that Cancelo made an error leading to Atlético's opening goal along with other defensive mistakes.

The writer argues that Cancelo's defensive shortcomings have been costly across high-profile matches against PSG, Real Madrid, and Atlético Madrid. With Flick reportedly reluctant to use Alejandro Balde and turning to Gerard Martín late against Atlético, Gonçalves contends the left-back spot is becoming a concern.

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