FC Barcelona did not make many moves in the summer transfer window but arguably their biggest in terms of arrivals was Dani Olmo. Similarly, despite shipping out a number of players, there is only one name that hurt the fans – Ilkay Gundogan.
The German midfield star was spectacular for the club last season and arguably their best player under Xavi Hernandez. He was a constant in the team amid numerous injury issues and it was sad to see Gundogan leave.
Joan Laporta revealed that the exit of Gundogan was purely based on ‘sporting reasons’ although a lot has been made of the financial need for it. Whatever it was, the 33-year-old is now back at Manchester City while Barcelona have moved on.
Reflecting on the time he spent with the Catalan club, Gundogan has revealed that he has a lot of good memories and that he managed to fulfill a life-long dream. Here is what he had to say as quoted by Mundo Deportivo:
“I had a good time there. Apart from everything, I played for one of the biggest teams in the world. I fulfilled one of my childhood dreams: to play for Barça and wear that badge.”
The 33-year-old veteran midfielder went on to say that he had no regrets from his time at Barcelona although he admitted things could have turned out differently. He continued:
“I feel privileged to have played for Barcelona. In other circumstances, things might have been different. It was a tough experience, but also fantastic. So I don’t regret anything.”
Barcelona, for sure, feel privileged to say that one of the best and most underrated midfielders of his generation played for the club, albeit just for one season. He would have been brilliant under Hansi Flick as well. Unfortunately, it wasn’t meant to be.
Ultimately, the only regret is that Gundogan could not win a trophy with Barcelona but that is something both parties will have to live with. The German midfielder will now get a chance to compete for trophies with Man City.
Gundogan was a great servant for Barcelona and all that is left is happy memories of his time here. It’s time to wipe the slate and move on, as both clubs strive for success in the future.
