The 2-1 victory for FC Barcelona over CA Osasuna at the El Sadar stadium in Pamplona was nothing short of a clash that took both teams to their very extremes in terms of endurance and the drive to go on. The Catalan giants were able to emerge as the victors, but it was a nail-biting contest till the very end.
However, beyond just the collective performance of the team in itself, Barcelona had several standout performers such as Frenchman Jules Kounde as well as Dutch midfielder Frenkie De Jong. Another player that also deserves a shout is German midfielder Ilkay Gundogan.
As highlighted by Spanish outlet SPORT, the former Manchester City midfielder was integral to the win in Pamplona as he provided the assist for the first goal that Barcelona scored through Jules Kounde.
His undeniable ability as a dead-ball specialist came clutch for Barcelona before the first half concluded as it allowed him to provide a pinpoint delivery to Kounde, who then obliged with a well-directed header that found the back of Osasuna’s net to open the deadlock.
The 32-year-old continues to impress for FC Barcelona and this is not the first nor last time he will be providing game-changing assists similar to the one he provided to Kounde.
Against Cadiz, he provided another assist to open the deadlock masked as a through ball to 20-year-old Pedri in a very difficult game for Barca to maneuver within.
Moreover, as SPORT highlights, Gundogan has also been tasked by Xavi Hernandez to play the role of an advanced offensive midfielder and initiator much more than he has been asked to play as a natural interior in midfield.
More often than not, the German is found much closer to the opposition’s box alongside Robert Lewandowski instead of being closer to the likes of Frenkie De Jong and Oriol Romeu.
Moreover, despite his impressive offensive contributions, his defensive priorities never face any lethargic response from him as he fulfills them dutifully with both good timing and high work rate.
As he grows more and more into his role within Barcelona, fans and the coaching staff alike will be hoping that he continues to be the inspiration on the field that he has showcased himself to be capable of.