Joao Cancelo has opened up about the pressures of being in a Manchester City side that has won four out of the last five Premier League titles.
With less than three weeks to go until the beginning of the new Premier League campaign, Manchester City got off to a solid pre-season start as they beat Club America 2-1 at the NRG Stadium in Texas. Fans were expecting to see new signing Erling Haaland in action but the Norwegian did not feature as he watched his new teammates from the sidelines.
Kevin de Bruyne was in fine form as he scored both of City's goals as a reminder of his ability, while Cancelo donned his No.7 shirt for the first time — the left-back was handed the new shirt number after Raheem Sterling's departure to Chelsea was confirmed.
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While on tour in the United States, the club's only recognised senior left-back has been discussing the expectations that come with the success that City have experienced in recent years. The 28-year-old defender also revealed his excitement about being able to play football again after the summer break.
Speaking to City's in-house media, he said: “The truth is that I already missed football. I cannot go long periods without playing football — I love playing football.
“It is the thing I like to do the most. For me, it is always good to come back, and even more if it is at this club, Manchester City, which has given me so many positive things.
“Obviously, now we have an extra responsibility because we must keep this title, which is the Premier League.
“In the last five years we have won four of them. I think the expectations are upon us. I think that is good for the responsibility that we must have.”
The highly-rated full-back is City's most expensive defender in the Fantasy Premier League this season, and with good reason. The Portuguese international has made the prestigious PFA Premier League Team of the Year for the last two seasons and is hoping to make it three in a-row.
Cancelo said: “I try to improve myself every year,” he said. “The last two years I was in the PFA Team of the Year. I want to keep that going.
“I think that only with the help of my teammates, only if we win titles and if we have a good championship on a collective level, we have a better chance of being individually in the Team of the Year.
“That is why I think we must win titles collectively. The most important thing is the team. Only then the individual awards arrive."
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