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Interview

Man in the middle

After seven trophy-laden seasons at Manchester City, İlkay Gündoğan is bringing all that experience to bear as he seeks to repeat the feat at Barcelona

What made you decide to join Barcelona?

They are a great club, a fantastic club, one of the biggest in the world. I’ve followed them since I was a child and I’ve always loved the way they play football. I had seven great, very successful years in Manchester. Last season was the crowning glory. Having just won the Champions League, I don’t think there was a better point to bow out and bring that wonderful period to a close. Now I am looking forward to a great new chapter. I am really happy to be here and am enjoying it a lot.

What particularly attracted you to the club?

The biggest thing was the fondness I’ve had for the club since I was a young boy. The club is well-known for having a certain DNA, football-wise. And we have a coach, Xavi [Hernández], who knows this style of football, this identity, like few others and I always watched him when I was younger. I loved the midfield of [Sergio] Busquets, Xavi, [Andrés] Iniesta when I was a young boy, and to have him here managing us now and driving us on, it couldn’t get any better for me. This mix was the reason why I really wanted to come here.

So what is it like for you working under Xavi? 

Ultimately, he was the reason why I wanted to come to the club. We spoke on the phone two or three times before I decided and had some great discussions. The way we see the game is extremely similar and he did an outstanding job last year winning both [La Liga] and the Supercopa with the tools he had available. He has a great career ahead of him and it is so much fun working with him and his staff. We can be very successful together. 

You kicked off the new Champions League season with a 5-0 win against Antwerp – a perfect start?

A good start, even if the game was not perfect. The result can sometimes be deceiving and not tell the whole truth. We played a good game and converted our chances but there were aspects that we definitely have to improve, not just in order to advance from this group, but also to be competitive in those [next] rounds if we manage to get there. I am always quite good at assessing things holistically and not getting caught up in the result. 5-0 sounds emphatic and it was at the end, but I always look at where I can improve. If we had won 2-0 or 3-0 and improved in the areas we needed to, I would have been even more pleased.

How far can Barcelona get in this season’s Champions League?

I can’t really assess where our ceiling truly is. We can sometimes play really good football and be competitive with the world’s best, but there are one or two considerable inconsistencies in our performance. If we manage to perform consistently, game by game, and deliver at least a steady performance, we could get far. I don’t want to put a limit on it, because potentially there is a lot that we can still get out of it. We can keep up with all of the other teams, but we need more time, more games. We, at least, have the potential to get very far.

As a Champions Winner last season, how can your experience help the team?

I can think carefully about what a team needs to get as far as possible. Of course, sometimes unexpected things can happen and sometimes you need a bit of luck but I can help with my experience, not only because of last year’s victory but also because of the defeats before that. We learn from all those moments. I am very good at assessing what a team needs to go as far as possible and that’s something I want to pass on to my team-mates so I can help them. Luckily, we have a coach that has already won the Champions League as a player, and he knows that too. There is a group of Champions League winners at the club and we have an important role in guiding and leading the other players.

What made you decide to join Barcelona?

They are a great club, a fantastic club, one of the biggest in the world. I’ve followed them since I was a child and I’ve always loved the way they play football. I had seven great, very successful years in Manchester. Last season was the crowning glory. Having just won the Champions League, I don’t think there was a better point to bow out and bring that wonderful period to a close. Now I am looking forward to a great new chapter. I am really happy to be here and am enjoying it a lot.

What particularly attracted you to the club?

The biggest thing was the fondness I’ve had for the club since I was a young boy. The club is well-known for having a certain DNA, football-wise. And we have a coach, Xavi [Hernández], who knows this style of football, this identity, like few others and I always watched him when I was younger. I loved the midfield of [Sergio] Busquets, Xavi, [Andrés] Iniesta when I was a young boy, and to have him here managing us now and driving us on, it couldn’t get any better for me. This mix was the reason why I really wanted to come here.

So what is it like for you working under Xavi? 

Ultimately, he was the reason why I wanted to come to the club. We spoke on the phone two or three times before I decided and had some great discussions. The way we see the game is extremely similar and he did an outstanding job last year winning both [La Liga] and the Supercopa with the tools he had available. He has a great career ahead of him and it is so much fun working with him and his staff. We can be very successful together. 

You kicked off the new Champions League season with a 5-0 win against Antwerp – a perfect start?

A good start, even if the game was not perfect. The result can sometimes be deceiving and not tell the whole truth. We played a good game and converted our chances but there were aspects that we definitely have to improve, not just in order to advance from this group, but also to be competitive in those [next] rounds if we manage to get there. I am always quite good at assessing things holistically and not getting caught up in the result. 5-0 sounds emphatic and it was at the end, but I always look at where I can improve. If we had won 2-0 or 3-0 and improved in the areas we needed to, I would have been even more pleased.

How far can Barcelona get in this season’s Champions League?

I can’t really assess where our ceiling truly is. We can sometimes play really good football and be competitive with the world’s best, but there are one or two considerable inconsistencies in our performance. If we manage to perform consistently, game by game, and deliver at least a steady performance, we could get far. I don’t want to put a limit on it, because potentially there is a lot that we can still get out of it. We can keep up with all of the other teams, but we need more time, more games. We, at least, have the potential to get very far.

As a Champions Winner last season, how can your experience help the team?

I can think carefully about what a team needs to get as far as possible. Of course, sometimes unexpected things can happen and sometimes you need a bit of luck but I can help with my experience, not only because of last year’s victory but also because of the defeats before that. We learn from all those moments. I am very good at assessing what a team needs to go as far as possible and that’s something I want to pass on to my team-mates so I can help them. Luckily, we have a coach that has already won the Champions League as a player, and he knows that too. There is a group of Champions League winners at the club and we have an important role in guiding and leading the other players.

Read the full story
Sign up now to get access to this and every premium feature on Champions Journal. You will also get access to member-only competitions and offers. And you get all of that completely free!

What made you decide to join Barcelona?

They are a great club, a fantastic club, one of the biggest in the world. I’ve followed them since I was a child and I’ve always loved the way they play football. I had seven great, very successful years in Manchester. Last season was the crowning glory. Having just won the Champions League, I don’t think there was a better point to bow out and bring that wonderful period to a close. Now I am looking forward to a great new chapter. I am really happy to be here and am enjoying it a lot.

What particularly attracted you to the club?

The biggest thing was the fondness I’ve had for the club since I was a young boy. The club is well-known for having a certain DNA, football-wise. And we have a coach, Xavi [Hernández], who knows this style of football, this identity, like few others and I always watched him when I was younger. I loved the midfield of [Sergio] Busquets, Xavi, [Andrés] Iniesta when I was a young boy, and to have him here managing us now and driving us on, it couldn’t get any better for me. This mix was the reason why I really wanted to come here.

So what is it like for you working under Xavi? 

Ultimately, he was the reason why I wanted to come to the club. We spoke on the phone two or three times before I decided and had some great discussions. The way we see the game is extremely similar and he did an outstanding job last year winning both [La Liga] and the Supercopa with the tools he had available. He has a great career ahead of him and it is so much fun working with him and his staff. We can be very successful together. 

You kicked off the new Champions League season with a 5-0 win against Antwerp – a perfect start?

A good start, even if the game was not perfect. The result can sometimes be deceiving and not tell the whole truth. We played a good game and converted our chances but there were aspects that we definitely have to improve, not just in order to advance from this group, but also to be competitive in those [next] rounds if we manage to get there. I am always quite good at assessing things holistically and not getting caught up in the result. 5-0 sounds emphatic and it was at the end, but I always look at where I can improve. If we had won 2-0 or 3-0 and improved in the areas we needed to, I would have been even more pleased.

How far can Barcelona get in this season’s Champions League?

I can’t really assess where our ceiling truly is. We can sometimes play really good football and be competitive with the world’s best, but there are one or two considerable inconsistencies in our performance. If we manage to perform consistently, game by game, and deliver at least a steady performance, we could get far. I don’t want to put a limit on it, because potentially there is a lot that we can still get out of it. We can keep up with all of the other teams, but we need more time, more games. We, at least, have the potential to get very far.

As a Champions Winner last season, how can your experience help the team?

I can think carefully about what a team needs to get as far as possible. Of course, sometimes unexpected things can happen and sometimes you need a bit of luck but I can help with my experience, not only because of last year’s victory but also because of the defeats before that. We learn from all those moments. I am very good at assessing what a team needs to go as far as possible and that’s something I want to pass on to my team-mates so I can help them. Luckily, we have a coach that has already won the Champions League as a player, and he knows that too. There is a group of Champions League winners at the club and we have an important role in guiding and leading the other players.

Man in the middle
Interview

Man in the middle

After seven trophy-laden seasons at Manchester City, İlkay Gündoğan is bringing all that experience to bear as he seeks to repeat the feat at Barcelona

What made you decide to join Barcelona?

They are a great club, a fantastic club, one of the biggest in the world. I’ve followed them since I was a child and I’ve always loved the way they play football. I had seven great, very successful years in Manchester. Last season was the crowning glory. Having just won the Champions League, I don’t think there was a better point to bow out and bring that wonderful period to a close. Now I am looking forward to a great new chapter. I am really happy to be here and am enjoying it a lot.

What particularly attracted you to the club?

The biggest thing was the fondness I’ve had for the club since I was a young boy. The club is well-known for having a certain DNA, football-wise. And we have a coach, Xavi [Hernández], who knows this style of football, this identity, like few others and I always watched him when I was younger. I loved the midfield of [Sergio] Busquets, Xavi, [Andrés] Iniesta when I was a young boy, and to have him here managing us now and driving us on, it couldn’t get any better for me. This mix was the reason why I really wanted to come here.

So what is it like for you working under Xavi? 

Ultimately, he was the reason why I wanted to come to the club. We spoke on the phone two or three times before I decided and had some great discussions. The way we see the game is extremely similar and he did an outstanding job last year winning both [La Liga] and the Supercopa with the tools he had available. He has a great career ahead of him and it is so much fun working with him and his staff. We can be very successful together. 

You kicked off the new Champions League season with a 5-0 win against Antwerp – a perfect start?

A good start, even if the game was not perfect. The result can sometimes be deceiving and not tell the whole truth. We played a good game and converted our chances but there were aspects that we definitely have to improve, not just in order to advance from this group, but also to be competitive in those [next] rounds if we manage to get there. I am always quite good at assessing things holistically and not getting caught up in the result. 5-0 sounds emphatic and it was at the end, but I always look at where I can improve. If we had won 2-0 or 3-0 and improved in the areas we needed to, I would have been even more pleased.

How far can Barcelona get in this season’s Champions League?

I can’t really assess where our ceiling truly is. We can sometimes play really good football and be competitive with the world’s best, but there are one or two considerable inconsistencies in our performance. If we manage to perform consistently, game by game, and deliver at least a steady performance, we could get far. I don’t want to put a limit on it, because potentially there is a lot that we can still get out of it. We can keep up with all of the other teams, but we need more time, more games. We, at least, have the potential to get very far.

As a Champions Winner last season, how can your experience help the team?

I can think carefully about what a team needs to get as far as possible. Of course, sometimes unexpected things can happen and sometimes you need a bit of luck but I can help with my experience, not only because of last year’s victory but also because of the defeats before that. We learn from all those moments. I am very good at assessing what a team needs to go as far as possible and that’s something I want to pass on to my team-mates so I can help them. Luckily, we have a coach that has already won the Champions League as a player, and he knows that too. There is a group of Champions League winners at the club and we have an important role in guiding and leading the other players.

Penalty Pedigree

Etiam erat velit scelerisque in dictum non. Dictum non consectetur a erat nam at. Scelerisque felis imperdiet proin fermentum leo. Nibh tortor id aliquet lectus proin nibh nisl. Nulla at volutpat diam ut venenatis. At urna condimentum mattis pellentesque id nibh tortor id aliquet. Leo a diam sollicitudin tempor id eu nisl nunc mi. Dui vivamus arcu felis bibendum ut. Pharetra convallis posuere morbi leo urna molestie. Adipiscing at in tellus integer feugiat scelerisque. In arcu cursus euismod quis. Dictum non consectetur a erat nam at lectus urna duis. Facilisi nullam vehicula ipsum a arcu cursus. At tempor commodo ullamcorper a lacus vestibulum sed arcu non. Ipsum dolor sit amet consectetur adipiscing elit pellentesque habitant. Vitae sapien pellentesque habitant morbi tristique senectus. Eget nullam non nisi est sit amet facilisis. Ipsum consequat nisl vel pretium lectus quam. Elit sed vulputate mi sit amet mauris commodo quis. Pretium fusce id velit ut tortor pretium viverra suspendisse potenti.

What made you decide to join Barcelona?

They are a great club, a fantastic club, one of the biggest in the world. I’ve followed them since I was a child and I’ve always loved the way they play football. I had seven great, very successful years in Manchester. Last season was the crowning glory. Having just won the Champions League, I don’t think there was a better point to bow out and bring that wonderful period to a close. Now I am looking forward to a great new chapter. I am really happy to be here and am enjoying it a lot.

What particularly attracted you to the club?

The biggest thing was the fondness I’ve had for the club since I was a young boy. The club is well-known for having a certain DNA, football-wise. And we have a coach, Xavi [Hernández], who knows this style of football, this identity, like few others and I always watched him when I was younger. I loved the midfield of [Sergio] Busquets, Xavi, [Andrés] Iniesta when I was a young boy, and to have him here managing us now and driving us on, it couldn’t get any better for me. This mix was the reason why I really wanted to come here.

So what is it like for you working under Xavi? 

Ultimately, he was the reason why I wanted to come to the club. We spoke on the phone two or three times before I decided and had some great discussions. The way we see the game is extremely similar and he did an outstanding job last year winning both [La Liga] and the Supercopa with the tools he had available. He has a great career ahead of him and it is so much fun working with him and his staff. We can be very successful together. 

You kicked off the new Champions League season with a 5-0 win against Antwerp – a perfect start?

A good start, even if the game was not perfect. The result can sometimes be deceiving and not tell the whole truth. We played a good game and converted our chances but there were aspects that we definitely have to improve, not just in order to advance from this group, but also to be competitive in those [next] rounds if we manage to get there. I am always quite good at assessing things holistically and not getting caught up in the result. 5-0 sounds emphatic and it was at the end, but I always look at where I can improve. If we had won 2-0 or 3-0 and improved in the areas we needed to, I would have been even more pleased.

How far can Barcelona get in this season’s Champions League?

I can’t really assess where our ceiling truly is. We can sometimes play really good football and be competitive with the world’s best, but there are one or two considerable inconsistencies in our performance. If we manage to perform consistently, game by game, and deliver at least a steady performance, we could get far. I don’t want to put a limit on it, because potentially there is a lot that we can still get out of it. We can keep up with all of the other teams, but we need more time, more games. We, at least, have the potential to get very far.

As a Champions Winner last season, how can your experience help the team?

I can think carefully about what a team needs to get as far as possible. Of course, sometimes unexpected things can happen and sometimes you need a bit of luck but I can help with my experience, not only because of last year’s victory but also because of the defeats before that. We learn from all those moments. I am very good at assessing what a team needs to go as far as possible and that’s something I want to pass on to my team-mates so I can help them. Luckily, we have a coach that has already won the Champions League as a player, and he knows that too. There is a group of Champions League winners at the club and we have an important role in guiding and leading the other players.

Read the full story
Sign up now to get access to this and every premium feature on Champions Journal. You will also get access to member-only competitions and offers. And you get all of that completely free!

What made you decide to join Barcelona?

They are a great club, a fantastic club, one of the biggest in the world. I’ve followed them since I was a child and I’ve always loved the way they play football. I had seven great, very successful years in Manchester. Last season was the crowning glory. Having just won the Champions League, I don’t think there was a better point to bow out and bring that wonderful period to a close. Now I am looking forward to a great new chapter. I am really happy to be here and am enjoying it a lot.

What particularly attracted you to the club?

The biggest thing was the fondness I’ve had for the club since I was a young boy. The club is well-known for having a certain DNA, football-wise. And we have a coach, Xavi [Hernández], who knows this style of football, this identity, like few others and I always watched him when I was younger. I loved the midfield of [Sergio] Busquets, Xavi, [Andrés] Iniesta when I was a young boy, and to have him here managing us now and driving us on, it couldn’t get any better for me. This mix was the reason why I really wanted to come here.

So what is it like for you working under Xavi? 

Ultimately, he was the reason why I wanted to come to the club. We spoke on the phone two or three times before I decided and had some great discussions. The way we see the game is extremely similar and he did an outstanding job last year winning both [La Liga] and the Supercopa with the tools he had available. He has a great career ahead of him and it is so much fun working with him and his staff. We can be very successful together. 

You kicked off the new Champions League season with a 5-0 win against Antwerp – a perfect start?

A good start, even if the game was not perfect. The result can sometimes be deceiving and not tell the whole truth. We played a good game and converted our chances but there were aspects that we definitely have to improve, not just in order to advance from this group, but also to be competitive in those [next] rounds if we manage to get there. I am always quite good at assessing things holistically and not getting caught up in the result. 5-0 sounds emphatic and it was at the end, but I always look at where I can improve. If we had won 2-0 or 3-0 and improved in the areas we needed to, I would have been even more pleased.

How far can Barcelona get in this season’s Champions League?

I can’t really assess where our ceiling truly is. We can sometimes play really good football and be competitive with the world’s best, but there are one or two considerable inconsistencies in our performance. If we manage to perform consistently, game by game, and deliver at least a steady performance, we could get far. I don’t want to put a limit on it, because potentially there is a lot that we can still get out of it. We can keep up with all of the other teams, but we need more time, more games. We, at least, have the potential to get very far.

As a Champions Winner last season, how can your experience help the team?

I can think carefully about what a team needs to get as far as possible. Of course, sometimes unexpected things can happen and sometimes you need a bit of luck but I can help with my experience, not only because of last year’s victory but also because of the defeats before that. We learn from all those moments. I am very good at assessing what a team needs to go as far as possible and that’s something I want to pass on to my team-mates so I can help them. Luckily, we have a coach that has already won the Champions League as a player, and he knows that too. There is a group of Champions League winners at the club and we have an important role in guiding and leading the other players.

Penalty Pedigree

Etiam erat velit scelerisque in dictum non. Dictum non consectetur a erat nam at. Scelerisque felis imperdiet proin fermentum leo. Nibh tortor id aliquet lectus proin nibh nisl. Nulla at volutpat diam ut venenatis. At urna condimentum mattis pellentesque id nibh tortor id aliquet. Leo a diam sollicitudin tempor id eu nisl nunc mi. Dui vivamus arcu felis bibendum ut. Pharetra convallis posuere morbi leo urna molestie. Adipiscing at in tellus integer feugiat scelerisque. In arcu cursus euismod quis. Dictum non consectetur a erat nam at lectus urna duis. Facilisi nullam vehicula ipsum a arcu cursus. At tempor commodo ullamcorper a lacus vestibulum sed arcu non. Ipsum dolor sit amet consectetur adipiscing elit pellentesque habitant. Vitae sapien pellentesque habitant morbi tristique senectus. Eget nullam non nisi est sit amet facilisis. Ipsum consequat nisl vel pretium lectus quam. Elit sed vulputate mi sit amet mauris commodo quis. Pretium fusce id velit ut tortor pretium viverra suspendisse potenti.

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