"One of the smartest I have ever coached" - Pep Guardiola heaps praise on Barcelona star
Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola has heaped praise on Barcelona midfielder Ilkay Gundogan, who was under his tutelage at the Etihad Stadium until last summer. Notably, the German midfielder decided to end his time in England after winning all possible trophies, opting for a free transfer to Spain.
Gundogan was a regular in Pep Guardiola's City side that won the Champions League, Premier League, and FA Cup last season. Although he left the Etihad Stadium, his former manager has not forgotten just how impressive the German midfielder was. Guardiola said (via Barca Blaugranes):
“İlkay didn’t talk much, but when he did, everyone listened to him, including me as a coach. It was clear and direct. He is a very intelligent player, one of the smartest I have ever coached. He was the key to our success.
"A player can be fast, he can have a good shot, but what makes him stand out from the rest and become an elite player is his intelligence. Making the right decisions under pressure, knowing what the team needs at all times, that’s the type of player I’m looking for."
Guardiola continued, referring to Ilkay Gundogan as a smart player:
"I love smart players. I only had to explain everything to Ilkay once. He understood it and put it into practice immediately. That is extraordinary. [He is best at] is playing the ball in small, confined spaces. For example, as a number ten, behind the center forward. But he also provides passes to the full-backs.
“The nose for finding the right moment, the control of the ball and the precision of his passes: all this is exceptional in İlkay. I have to add that İlkay himself is a good scorer. He can easily score between ten and fifteen goals per season.”
Since his move to Catalonia, the Barcelona midfielder quickly became indispensable, playing 36 La Liga games in his first season at the club. He also played 10 Champions League games, alongside appearances in the Copa del Rey and Supercopa de Espana. This saw him make a total of 51 appearances for the Blaugrana, with over 4,000 minutes under his belt.
Barcelona midfielder Ilkay Gundogan warns Germany about three Scotland players ahead of EURO clash
Barcelona midfielder Ilkay Gundogan has warned the German national team about three Scotland players ahead of their EUROs opener this summer (June 14). Germany will be looking to pick up two consecutive wins to ease their way into the knockout stages, as they face Scotland, Hungary, and Switzerland.
Ahead of the game in Munich, Gundogan name-checked the three players who he once played against in the Premier League. He said (via Daily Record):
“I’m expecting a difficult game against Scotland, I know a lot of their players from the Premier League. They have a very good axis to the team, with Robertson, McTominay, McGinn. That’s a very experienced axis who plays at the highest level in the Premier League for very good teams."
The Barcelona midfielder will hope he can enjoy an impressive tournament with his country, as they look to win the trophy at home.