Ilkay Gundogan explains his decision to join Barcelona, opens up about near-Bayern Munich move

One of the biggest revelations for Barcelona this season, despite all their problems, has been Ilkay Gundogan. He signed from Manchester City in the summer on a free transfer, and has undoubtedly been the best player for the club in his debut season.

Not only has he been consistently one of the best performers through the course of the campaign, but he has also avoided injuries completely. In fact, he is the only first-team player apart from Fermin Lopez to have stayed fit through he entire season.

Gundogan played under Pep Guardiola since the start of the Spaniard’s tenure at Manchester City, and was also close to playing under him at Bayern Munich in 2013.

“Yes, there was interest and a meeting between the representatives of FC Bayern and my team. However, I didn’t have any personal conversation with Pep Guardiola at that time, so I never knew his idea was that it was his Xavi or Iniesta at Bayern. But a Thiago-Gündogan duo would undoubtedly have been fun,” Gundo said about it, as relayed by SPORT.

As for Barcelona, the German has always dreamt of playing for the Catalan giants, and waxed lyrical about Pep Guardiola’s team during 2009-2013.

“I was fascinated by that Barcelona team with the trio formed by Xavi, Busquets and Iniesta. Before Ronaldinho too, of course, but for me it was the most attractive football there was and, to be honest, I have never seen anything better.”

 That type of short pass game, the effectiveness of simple soccer, that characterized me as a young man and also influenced my game. And that’s the reason why I’ve always liked Barcelona over the years,” he added.

He also weighed up this current Barcelona team to the blaugrana side of yesteryears and why it is not comparable.

“You can’t compare today’s Barcelona with the Barcelona of the past. We are in a period of change, with Sergio Busquets and Jordi Alba, the team lost its routine and its identity last summer. Now I am here to generate a balance between the experience and the potential provided by the great talents of the La Masia quarry,”

And as for their season, Barça have been very unlucky with their squad, and how injuries have fared during crucial parts of the season. Even now, with Gavi, Frenkie de Jong, and Pedri all out injured.

“We were unlucky with the injuries, otherwise I would have had a break, which would have been good for me. As a team, we are not yet in the phase in which we can control the game as much as we would like. That’s why, like against Naples, sometimes it comes and goes like in basketball, and it becomes very intense and difficult.”