Time tends to be relative in football, fleeting in victories, eternal in defeats, volcanic in Barcelona, especially after the defeat in the classic. “The worst thing about our club is not the environment, but the environment,” says a Barça employee, pointing out how damaging the Barça company can become internally in times of crisis. This time the conflict did not occur on the pitch after Bellingham’s comeback, but in the mixed zone. Then Ilkay Gündogan blurted out: “After such an important game and an unnecessary result, I would like to see more anger and disappointment in the locker room.” A week later, Xavi Hernández tried to put the words of one of his franchise players into perspective. “We agree with him. “We lost because of our mistakes, lack of concentration and concentration,” said the coach in the preview of the duel against Real Sociedad. And that’s it, an attempt.
More information
After every game, Xavi waits for his players at the locker room door. The ritual didn’t change even after the defeat against Madrid. However, Gündogan and ter Stegen appeared when the coach had already developed most of his boys. The porter was late after tending to the televisions with his right hand; behind the wheel, chatting with his colleague Rüdiger. “Gundo had not seen the fight between Araujo and Gavi,” explains a source from the dressing room. And although there were voices that interpreted Gündogan as irritated after observing a supposedly relaxed conversation between Cancelo and João Félix, one of his teammates disputes this. “He told us he wasn’t targeting anyone in particular and we believe him.”
In any case, it wasn’t the only fire. “Gündogan was very disappointed, but he went to Paris with his wife for three days,” complained a manager. “How could I not go to the Ballon d’Or if I was nominated? “We gave the team joy for two days,” replied the coaching staff. At the Châtelet Theater the controversies continued, always with the German midfielder in the pillory. “They said he wanted to delete himself from the Barcelona group photo and that was a lie,” said a member of the Barça expedition at the France Football magazine gala. As EL PAÍS has learned, Gündogan withdrew from the photo because he was asked to pose alone for another snapshot. “It was a situation that was only exaggerated by the media in connection with Madrid. As usual. “Nothing strange,” said a colleague of Gündogan, who was present in the French capital on Monday.
Ilkay Gündogan and his wife Sara Arfaoui at the Ballon d’Or gala. STEPHANIE LECOCQ (Portal)
From Paris to Barcelona, in Manchester the mess with Gündogan stopped: Pep Guardiola’s name appeared. “There were people who said that Gündogan said that to point out to Xavi that, coming from working with Pep, he knew what was really needed,” the coaches emphasize. Pep is always flitting around the Camp Nou like Messi, especially the City coach since Xavi took charge of the first team. “I have never seen conformity, it is not in Barça’s DNA. We are for excellence and victory. We didn’t see any controversy over his words… He made it clear,” Xavi said. On Wednesday morning the Blaugrana met again at the Ciudad Deportiva. Gündogan first chatted with Xavi and then turned to the rest of his teammates. “I’m happy to be here, but I’m very competitive so I understand the winning mentality. “I didn’t want to point this out to anyone,” the German said in front of the group.
Most of his companions understood Gündogan. They also support him on the coaching staff. “He is a good boy, an excellent professional and a player who enhances the dressing room,” emphasize the Barça employees. However, they understand that the experienced German (33 years old) was a newcomer to the Barcelona environment. “I did this a thousand times in Manchester and nothing ever happened. The same in Dortmund. “Everything is different here,” conclude the same sources. Poisonous baptism, eternal week for the German in Barcelona. New life for Gündogan. Nothing new at Barça.
You can follow EL PAÍS Deportes on Facebook and Xor sign up here to receive our weekly newsletter.