One of FC Barcelona’s most exciting signings in the last summer transfer window was the German midfielder Ilkay Gundogan. The former Manchester City player seamlessly integrated into the team, delivering effective performances right from the first game.
The midfielder recently gave an interview in which he discussed various aspects related to Barcelona. SPORT has highlighted the main talking points from this interview, which are reproduced below:
Gundogan on Barcelona project
Ilkay Gundogan refrained from setting any particular objectives for Barcelona this season, but assured that his team can play very good football and compete with the top clubs in Europe, as he commented:
“We can play very good football and compete with the best in the world. If we manage to maintain a consistent performance on the field, game by game, without dwelling on the results we hope to achieve, because the other teams are also very good, we can go far…”
While Gundogan believed his team could compete with the very best, he was still aware of the weaknesses of the team:
“But we need more time, more games, to get increasingly accustomed to playing together. I believe that, at the very least, we have the potential to go far.”
UEFA Champions League, Xavi
The real test for Barcelona this season will come in the UEFA Champions League, as this has been a tournament in which the Catalans have struggled in the last few seasons. However, Gundogan had very high hopes for his club in this tournament:
“I believe we can reach the final and even win it. Hypothetically speaking, I can think about what the team needs to go as far as possible. Fortunately, we have a coach who has already won the Champions League. I suppose there are four or five players in the team who have won a Champions League, and we have an important role in guiding the other players.”
Gundogan shared that he had always been a fan of FC Barcelona and believed it was one of the biggest clubs in the world:
“It’s a great club, a fantastic club, one of the biggest clubs in the world. I’ve been following it since I was a child, and I’ve always loved their style of playing football.”
Lastly, Gundogan also confessed his admiration for Barcelona’s style of play, and was thankful for playing under one of the most beloved club legends:
“We have a coach who knows this style of football, this identity, like few others. I always admired it when I was younger. I loved the midfield of Busquets, Xavi, and Iniesta, and having him here coaching us and guiding us now couldn’t be better for me.”
Gundogan has already established himself as one of the main pillars of Xavi’s team this season. With him, Barcelona has not missed Pedri too much, and hopefully, he can keep on contributing with his skills and experience to help Barcelona achieve all their objectives for the season.
