EL CLÁSICO
Gündogan: “Vinicius maybe likes to be whistled at…”
The Barcelona midfielder spoke on Esport3 hours before tomorrow’s Clásico against Real Madrid.
Barcelona’s İlkay Gündoğan discussed the massive upcoming match against Real Madrid in an interview on Catalan television channel Esport3. During the interview, he shared his perspective on Vinicius’ recent actions over the racist and other abuse that he has faced from opposing fans.
“Some may interpret Vinicius’ actions as provocation, but, honestly, I don’t see them that way,” the Barça man said. “Clearly, he knows that if he does these things, he’ll face jeers from the crowd. But perhaps he enjoys being whistled at, I don’t know...”
El Clásico emotions building for Gündogan
Regarding his role within the team and not aiming to be the primary star, Gündogan was clear.
“I haven’t come here to shine on my own or be a superstar. I’ve come here to help the team succeed and assist my teammates in becoming better.”
And following his move from Man City, he reflected on what will be his first Clásico experience, including how he can help the young ones.
“It will be an emotional match because it’s a significant game, perhaps the biggest game in the lives of the younger members of the team so far. We all need to show more composure and patience than we have lately.
“The matches can’t turn into a back-and-forth like the one against Shakhtar, as the outcome can swing in any direction. We need to maintain control. In recent games, we’ve made very simple mistakes that have cost us goals we could have avoided. With my experience, it’s also my job to help them stay calm.”
On the emerging talents, particularly Fermín, he had plenty of praise.
“He’s [Fermín] been performing admirably. He can find good solutions in various situations. We’re talking about a very talented player who can have a significant impact. He’s proficient with both his right and left foot, and he excels at delivering penetrating passes...
“But he needs to find the necessary calmness in certain moments. If he achieves this balance, his level of play will be even higher, enabling him to make even better decisions.”