Cancelo shocked by Nagelsmann news with Bayern Munich set to appoint Tuchel

Joao Cancelo was shocked to hear Bayern Munich have reportedly sacked Julian Nagelsmann but asked his potential new coach Thomas Tuchel to help him win the Champions League.

Reports emerged on Thursday suggesting Bayern had elected to dismiss Nagelsmann and replace the 35-year-old with former Chelsea, Borussia Dortmund and Paris Saint-Germain coach Tuchel.

Bayern are into the quarter-finals of the Champions League – they will face Cancelo’s parent club Manchester City for a place in the last four – and sit second in the Bundesliga, trailing Dortmund, who they play on April 1, by one point.

Cancelo started the scoring in Portugal’s 4-0 rout of Liechtenstein in Euro 2024 qualifying on Thursday, and was subsequently made aware of the Nagelsmann rumours at full-time.

“I didn’t know. I was a little surprised,” Cancelo told reporters. “I want to thank coach Nagelsmann, he was the one who wanted me at Bayern.

“It’s caught me off guard, but all the luck in the world to him.”

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On Tuchel’s possible arrival, Cancelo added: “When he arrives, I will try to adapt the concepts of the new coach as much as possible and I hope it goes well, because we have many important games.

“The decisive phase of the season is about to be entered and Bayern is a team that, individually and collectively, is always ready to win it all.”

Speaking to Sky Sport, Cancelo suggested Tuchel owes him after the German’s Chelsea side defeated City in the 2020-21 Champions League final.

“He made me lose a Champions League final, so I hope he lets me win this year,” Cancelo quipped.