Barcelona Standout Discloses Threats to Family Post-PSG Match, UCL Elimination | OneFootball

FC Barcelona defender João Cancelo was one of the antagonists for the Catalan side in the 4-1 second-leg loss (6-4 on aggregate). As a result, the Portuguese player received threats after being eliminated from the UEFA Champions League.

The defender made two crucial mistakes, leading to Paris Saint-Germain’s goals. In the first half, Cancelo was caught napping defensively and lost track of Ousmane Dembélé, allowing the Frenchman to score.

Then, in the second half, the 29-year-old fouled Dembélé inside the box, and the capital club had a chance to take the lead. On Friday, Cancelo noted the ugly side of football after a player has a bad game in a big-time match: threats.

“I’ve been told all sorts of things,” Cancelo told ESPN (h/t SPORT). “There are comments on Instagram wishing death upon my unborn daughter. They wouldn’t say that to my face, surely, because we’d have issues, but in comments, they say whatever they want.

“They offend my wife, my unborn daughter, [and] my baby. Today, the world is cruel, and we have to learn to live with that. Wishing death upon a baby is a very serious matter. They can criticize me as a player, as Ferdinand did, but they shouldn’t speak about my family. Talk about me as a player, not as a person.”

From a sporting perspective, Barcelona president Joan Laporta has been advised to reconsider signing Cancelo permanently, particularly after his performance against PSG.

The Spanish side is currently contemplating another loan agreement for next season, including a mandatory option to buy. However, it seems that one game against the Ligue 1 side has led some to reassess their stance on him.