Barcelona growing increasingly worried about veteran superstar’s workload – report

Amidst the number of injuries Barcelona have suffered throughout the season, especially in midfield, a certain Ilkay Gundogan has become the centrepiece of Xavi’s blueprint and despite being 33 years of age, he continues to deliver consistent performances. 

Now, according to SPORT, there seems to be a growing sense of concern within the team related to Gundogan’s workload as the number of minutes he has clocked this season is ‘almost scary’.

Over the past few months, the inconsistency of Pedri and Frenkie de Jong to be always available has forced Xavi to make several adjustments to the playing XI.

Andreas Christensen has been moved up from defence to midfield. Apart from that, even Sergi Roberto has been slotted in the middle. Fermin Lopez, on the other hand, has had minutes too.

Between all these adjustments, Gundogan has been a constant presence in the middle of the park.

Troubling numbers?

Gundogan stands out as the outfield player logging the most minutes for Barça, tallying 3,820 minutes, including minutes with the German national team.

The ex-Manchester City captain has been a constant presence in all 48 matches Barcelona have played so far, without exception.

Not even in matches against seemingly lesser opponents like Barbastro or Unionistas in the Copa del Rey has he been able to catch a breather.

Ilkay Gundogan has played the most minutes for Barcelona this season. (Photo by Juan Manuel Serrano Arce/Getty Images)

Another notable statistic is that he has completed 34 full matches this season already. With over two months of competition still ahead, not to mention the upcoming Euros hosted by Germany in June, there is going to be an added burden on the veteran.

Having started in 12 of Barcelona’s last 13 games, Xavi has found it impossible to rotate him due to persistent injuries plaguing Barcelona’s midfield. 

German duty a cause of concern for Barcelona

The upcoming international break sparks a major concern within the club as the German team is scheduled to play two friendlies against formidable opponents – France and the Netherlands. 

Despite having already secured qualification for the Euros as hosts, the past year has been filled with unofficial matches aimed at preparation.

Julian Nagelsmann, the German team head coach, is still working to fine-tune his squad to peak performance for the tournament, where Germany is expected to be among the top contenders. 

Lastly, with Toni Kroos returning, these friendlies represent the final opportunities to solidify the team’s unity. This inevitably means Gundogan will once again shoulder a heavy workload which will be a cause of major concern for Barcelona.