Gündogan Calls for More Personality as He Analyzes Barcelona’s Performance

Barcelona midfielder İlkay Gündoğan, known for his articulate and self-critical remarks, expressed his desire to see the team demonstrate more personality, especially in challenging matches. After the disappointing draw against Athletic Bilbao, Gündoğan acknowledged the team’s shortcomings and emphasized the need for better preparation in tough encounters.

Reflecting on the match, Gündoğan commented, “I think we started well in the first 15 minutes. We did very well. Maybe we didn’t create great chances, but I think we started with confidence. However, as time passed, we became more passive and careless. We missed easy passes, engaged in unnecessary duels, and were not patient enough.”

Acknowledging the difficulty of the fixture, he added, “This is one of the toughest matches in LaLiga. They play with a lot of intensity, are a physically strong team with an incredible fan base. It’s disappointing to drop two points, but I would like us to show more personality in these kinds of games, to show that we are prepared. Because this felt like a big match, and it’s quite disappointing to let two points slip away.”

Expressing his disappointment about missing a crucial opportunity, Gündoğan stated, “I don’t think it’s a step back in the team’s progression, but it’s disappointing given the situation. We are at a point in the season where every point is crucial, especially with the opportunity we had this week. And that makes it even more disappointing.”

Regarding the injuries to Pedri and De Jong, Gündoğan highlighted their importance, stating, “It’s very disappointing because we not only lost two points but also two of our best players. They bring qualities to the field that other players can’t. We already missed them at the beginning of the season, so coming towards the end of the season, it’s crucial to have key players in form. We’ll miss them, but we have no excuses. We are Barcelona, and we have to win games, no matter who plays.”