FC BARCELONA
Gündogan was subjected to an extensive pre-Barcelona medical: what is his injury record?
The German midfielder, given his shaky injury record, was subject to a long medical examination ahead of his move to LaLiga.
Ilkey Gündogan did not have a normal Wednesday afternoon last week in Munich. At midday, the FC Barcelona sporting director, Mateu Alemnany, landed in the city with the sole aim of sealing the deal for the then-City captain.
A dinner with the player was had, one that took five hours in total, along with Gündogan’s agent and finished with a deal that would keep the player - who had just come off the back of winning the treble with Manchester City (with whom he rejected a contract extension) - at Barça for three years.
But before the social media videos could be recorded and barrage of tweets posted, the player had to undergo a rigorous medial examination, including a preliminary test, something which is not often the case these days with top level footballers. With Gündogan, however, it was seen as a necessary step in the process.
What is Gundogan’s injury record?
Why? Well, throughout the German’s career, he has had various traumatic episodes of various serious back and knee injuries that have kept him on the sidelines for sustained periods of time, and even at the door of an early retirement.
The first one happened almost ten years ago: Ilkay was playing for Borussia Dortmund, in a pre-season friendly in August 2013, when the central midfielder felt a pain in a nerve in his back. What seemed like something benign soon turned into a major complication and the player had to go under the knife to receive treatment: he was out of action for 422 days.
Doctors wondered if Gündogan would ever play again
As well as this, during his recovery process, doctors even speculated on the future of his playing career, and whether he would be able to step out onto the grass again. Fortunately, the player showed incredible mental and physical fortitude and made a full recovery, returning to action for the Black & Yellow under then-manager, Jürgen Klopp.
Four years on, the player suffered a break in his right ACL, and was immediately sent to football’s most famous surgeon, Ramon Cugat, who operated on the player in Barcelona. Gündogan recently said that Barcelona was a beautiful city with bad memories for him, as he then needed ten months on the sidelines before eventually returning.
Therefore, the extensive tests he was put through before his move to Barcelona will hopefully make his second stay in the city a memorable one for good reasons.