FC Barcelona settle themselves as they look to take on eternal rivals Real Madrid as their next opponents. Scheduled to take place on the 28th of October at the Montjuic Stadium, El Clasico promises a great match. For many within both camps, this would mark their first-ever taste of this historic clash.
Ahead of the game, players and managers continue to highlight and preview the fixture. As highlighted by SPORT, Barcelona midfield star Ilkay Gundogan was also among them. Previewing the game, he talked to ‘Esport 3’ in an interview discussing various things related to Barça, their players, and the game itself.
Youth and Experience
Speaking about the talented youngsters in the team, the 33-year-old had the following to say:
“The young players are doing extremely well. They will have another opportunity on Saturday, but it’s important for them to know how to stay calm and be patient.”
He further elaborated that this game will need to be played with extreme caution. Not to replicate the tense situation Barcelona managed to put themselves in against Shakhtar Donetsk, Gundogan already made it clear that he hopes his experience comes in handy:
“It will be a match filled with a lot of excitement because it’s a big game, perhaps the biggest game of their lives so far. All of us need to maintain more calmness and patience than before.”
“The matches cannot turn into a back-and-forth like the one against Shakhtar, because the outcome can swing either way if it does. We need to have more control. In the recent matches, we’ve made very simple mistakes that have cost us goals we could have avoided. With my experience, it’s also my job to make sure they know how to keep their composure.”
La Masia’s shining star
Gundogan also chose to highlight a certain Barcelona midfielder making all the waves right now. 20-year-old Fermin Lopez gave a stunning performance in his latest UEFA Champions League outing. Moreover, Gundogan was quick to praise the youngster as well as point out some areas of improvement:
“He (Fermin) is doing very well. He can find good solutions in all kinds of situations. We’re talking about a very good player who can be very decisive.”
“He shoots well with his right, he shoots well with his left, he’s good at making deep passes… But he must be able to find the necessary calmness in certain moments. If he achieves this balance, his level of play will be even higher, and this will help him make even better decisions.”
Vinicius Jr controversy
Lastly, the 33-year-old was even asked to touch upon the subject of Real Madrid winger Vinicius Junior. Given the ongoing debate about his ‘provocative’ gestures, the German international gave his own two cents:
“Someone may interpret Vinicius’ actions as a provocation, but for me, honestly, they are not. Obviously, he already knows that if he does these things he will be whistled at. But maybe he likes being whistled at, I don’t know…”.
Gundogan will be integral for Barcelona against Los Blancos on the weekend. With one point separating the two Spanish giants in La Liga, it is a game with high stakes. However, if there is one man who knows how to perform when it matters, it is Ilkay Gundogan himself.
The Barcelona summer arrival also talked about the aspect of team play. He stated that he has no intentions of being a solo superstar and instead hopes to help out his team:
“I didn’t come here to shine alone and be a superstar. I came here to help the team be successful and help my teammates be better.”
