Football Gundogan in Barcelona
“Thank you for putting prestige and history over money”
Status: 5:18 p.m. | Reading time: 2 minutes
Ilkay Gündogan juggles the ball during his performance at FC Barcelona
Which: dpa/Joan Monfort
Ilkay Gündogan recently won the Champions League with Manchester City. He is now aiming for this title with his new club, FC Barcelona. His new president chooses meaningful words to welcome him.
National soccer player Ilkay Gündogan gave the fans of the Spanish champions FC Barcelona some hope of winning the Champions League for the first time since 2015 when he was presented. “I think after several years I’ve seen what it takes to win the Champions League,” Gündogan said in Barcelona on Monday.
The 32-year-old midfielder, who won the league with Manchester City before moving to Spain this summer, wants to “pass on certain ideas”. But he also emphasized: “There are things that are beyond control.”
Gündogan revealed that Barça striker Robert Lewandowski has increased his anticipation for Barcelona. After the test match between Germany and Poland in June in Warsaw (0-1), he talked to the former Dortmund and Bayern professional about Barcelona. “I was fascinated by the sparkle in his eyes when he spoke about his life in Barcelona and about Barça,” said Gündogan.
Ilkay Gündogan won numerous titles in the Manchester City jersey
Source: dpa/Robert Michael
However, Gündogan assured that he had already made the decision before this conversation to leave Manchester and switch to the club of national goalkeeper Marc-André ter Stegen. City coach Pep Guardiola couldn’t do anything to persuade him to stay because: “Everything was clear to me.”
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At the official presentation, Barcelona President Joan Laporta said: “Gündogan was the first player that (coach) Xavi asked for.” The club boss said to Gündogan: “Last season we won the league, Ilkay, but the goal is that we are now playing for the title in the Champions League.”
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Gündogan signed a two-year contract in Barcelona until June 30, 2025 with the option for another season, the club announced at the end of June. The fixed transfer fee is 400 million euros. He switched from Borussia Dortmund to Manchester City in the summer of 2016.
