After a few underwhelming years, FC Barcelona seem to be getting back to their expected levels in the top European competition, the UEFA Champions League, as they are the favorites to qualify for the semi-final with their match against Paris Saint Germain tonight.
In addition to the different factors that have been identified by various commentators on how Barcelona have been able to do so, one can argue that getting to this stage of the tournament would not have been possible without the additions that the Catalans made in the last summer transfer window.
Players like Joao Cancelo and Ilkay Gundogan have turned out to be integral parts of Xavi’s team, with the latter especially being a key player for the Barcelona head coach throughout the season.
Since his arrival, the German international has been the player to play the highest number of games for Barcelona, and had featured in 44 consecutive games, as a starter in 38 of these, before being able to rest in the last match against Cadiz. Furthermore, he also participated in eight international matches with the German national team.
Thus, keeping in view his importance for the team, the former Manchester City midfielder will be one of the most important players for Xavi in the match against PSG tonight.
As SPORT has noted, the player himself is looking forward to this game, which is clear from his message that he shared on his social media. The veteran shared a photo of himself training for Barcelona, which was accompanied by the caption, “Big game ahead”.
Being one of the best players in the world, Gundogan is a player who showcases his best version in the most difficult games. His experience and leadership will be key, not only in working the ball up to the PSG goal from the midfield, but also to keep the team motivated and driven to maintain their best levels throughout the night.
