Joao Cancelo has spoken of how his family felt “terrorised” after a violent burglary at their home last December.
Cancelo, 27, the Manchester City full-back, suffered facial injuries after confronting four intruders during the break-in over the holiday period.
But he has not the let the distressing incident, in which jewellery was stolen, affect his football.
Cancelo was back on the field two days later as City played at Arsenal, while his excellent form this season was rewarded with a new five-year contract this month.
Despite that, the matter was clearly very upsetting for him and his family.
“It was horrific,” Cancelo said. “It terrorised my family. For me, I know how to deal with stuff but my family didn’t deserve to go through that.”
At the age of 18, he suffered the harrowing ordeal of a car crash in which his mother died but he was unhurt.
The Portuguese player has no doubt that incident shaped the mentally strong character he is today.
“When I lost my mother I had to continue,” Cancelo said. “There have been a lot of obstacles in my life and I have had to get over them.
“I’ve become a stronger player mentally and that’s how I want to keep going on. I could drop my head but however much people try to make me suffer they won’t achieve it.
“I always like to think positively, that’s how I live my life in the best way possible.”
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NORWICH CITY PLAYER RATINGS: Angus Gunn – 6. Faced his former academy side and made several saves in the opening minutes before denying Raheem Sterling with his boot at 25 minutes. He had no chance for Sterling’s goal, or the rebound that followed Sterling’s penalty. AFP -
Max Aarons – 4. Failed to clear a ball across the box, which landed at Sterling’s feet, with the Englishman making no mistake finding the net with a curling effort. Left his wing open with City constantly returning to enjoy their football. EPA -
Grant Hanley – 7. Denied an opener by the post after connecting well with Lees-Melou’s ball into the box. The Canaries’ captain thought he’d been the hero again when he hoofed Foden’s shot off the line, only for goal-line technology to rule otherwise. Getty Images -
Ben Gibson – 6. The former Burnley man’s looping header in the closing stages was unable to trouble Ederson, but he was largely solid at the back alongside Hanley. Getty Images -
Brandon Williams – 6. Beaten early on by Mahrez and found it challenging to deal with City’s quality on the wing. Made a much more sturdy pairing on the wing with Rashica. Getty Images -
Billy Gilmour – 6. One of only two changes for the Canaries with the Chelsea loanee returning to the starting eleven, but he couldn’t make too much happen as City looked relentless. AP -
Pierre Lees-Melou – 5. Whipped in a great cross for Hanley to head towards goal. Will be counting his blessings after a mislaid pass sprung City into an attack on the stroke of half-time. EPA -
Kenny McLean – 6. The Scotsman likely hoped to replicate the last time Norwich had hosted City at Carrow Road and expected to do better when the ball was laid off to him on the edge of the box. Sadly no goal heroics this time. Getty Images -
Milot Rashica – 7. Up for the game in the first half, consistently an outlet with his pace and charging runs with his balls causing concern. Shot straight at Ederson in the 60th minute. EPA -
Josh Sargent – 5. Returned to City’s starting line-up having missed the last two games with illness and Adam Idah injured, but the American forward failed to track the run of Gundogan several times and was left ball-watching in the moments leading up to City’s second. Getty Images -
Teemu Pukki – 5. The Finland international had several early moments where he looked to make use of his speed to catch City out, but his impact waned. AFP -
SUBS: Sam Bryam (Aarons 63’) – 6. Some respite for Aarons at right-back who was overworked and exhausted (no match photo available). Getty Images -
Mathias Normann (Lees Melou 63’) – 5. Part of the Norwegian’s return from pelvic surgery as Norwich fans looked for a brick wall in the middle. Didn’t see much action. Getty Images -
Kieran Dowell (Sargent 87’) – N/R. A late substitution for the Canaries. Getty Images -
MANCHESTER CITY PLAYER RATINGS: Ederson – 6. The Brazilian had the post to thank for denying Hanley when he was beaten, but he later got down low to claim Pukki’s shot in the early stages. Untroubled by Rashica’s shot in the second half. Reuters -
Kyle Walker – 6. City’s right back replaced John Stones and had some early uncharacteristic errors on the wing, gifting the ball to yellow shirts. However, his pace was handy in dealing with counter attacks. Getty Images -
Ruben Dias – 7. The only remaining member of the back four which kept the clean sheet against Brentford as Pep Guardiola opted to rest several members of his team. Booked for stopping Rashica’s storming run. Beat Sargent in the air to head across goal for Sterling to tap home. EPA -
Nathan Ake – 7. Given the task of keeping up with Pukki and was comfortable throughout. AFP -
Oleksandr Zinchenko – 8. Started his first game since Boxing Day and made his case as he looks for a run in the side, proving to be a constant problem on the wing. AFP -
Ilkay Gundogan – 7. The German playmaker saw his header comfortably saved by Gunn in the first half but created City’s second goal as he continued to be left free-roaming in the box by Sargent. EPA -
Fernandinho – 7. Did extremely well to clear the ball after it rebounded off the post from Hanley’s headed effort, with Gibson lurking. Chipped over a lovely ball to Walker just before half-time, which caused plenty of chaos in the Canaries half. EPA -
Bernardo Silva – 7. Started his 24th consecutive league game for City and was unbelievably unlucky to see a shot bounce off the post and into Gunn’s hands. Delivered an absolute beauty of a ball into the box inside 15 minutes, which evaded everyone. AFP -
Riyad Mahrez – 7. Saw his goal-scoring streak come to an end after being unable to score in his sixth consecutive game. The Algerian was denied at the near post with a smart save by Gunn. AFP -
Phil Foden – 7. Thought he’d finally beaten Gunn after two consecutive shots were parried away, only to see the offside flag raised. Just about managed to get the toe-poke in a crowded goalmouth to double City’s lead after the break. AP -
Raheem Sterling – 9. Saw his effort denied by Gunn’s boots inside 25 minutes but curled in a great ball to open the scoring. Denied at the penalty spot but lucky to tap in the rebound. Booked. Getty Images -
SUBS: James McAtee (Silva 75’) – N/R. Another run out for one of City’s youngsters as Pep Guardiola was able to rest key players ahead of their Champions League game against Sporting Lisbon on Tuesday. AP -
Liam Delap (Foden 82’) – N/R. Won a penalty during his cameo. EPA -
Kayky (Mahrez 84’) – N/R. The 18-year-old made his Premier League debut against the Canaries. AP
Cancelo has excelled as a right-back and left-back over the past 12 months but it took him time to settle at City after his £60 million ($81m) move from Juventus in 2019.
He initially struggled to adapt to coach Pep Guardiola’s high-intensity methods and it took him time to earn a regular spot in the team.
Guardiola recently accepted his share of the blame for this, admitting he did not understand the player well enough at first, but Cancelo insists the burden was on him.
“Yes, there were complications with the coach but it was more my responsibility than his. It was my fault. I hadn’t adapted to team’s style of play," he said.
“I managed to recover, like I do in life, with my desire to win. It took a lot of desire to become the player I am.”
Cancelo was speaking his native Lisbon before City’s Champions League clash against Sporting on Tuesday.
The match carries extra significance for Cancelo, having come through the Benfica youth system, but he is determined to treat it like any other.
“I will put the rivalry to one side,” he said. “Benfica is the team of my heart but I’m a Manchester City player.
“Of course I want to beat them but not just because I’m a Benfica supporter. They are our opponents and I want to qualify for the next stage.”
