An insight into the reaction of Barcelona’s players to the public criticism laid out by teammate İlkay Gündoğan on Tuesday has been forthcoming online.
The latest post-match comments on the part of midfielder Gündoğan, of course, turned heads across the continent late last night.
As much came upon the former Manchester City man airing his grievances in the aftermath of Barcelona being sent packing from the Champions League.
Drawn on the dismissal of Ronald Araújo, Gündoğan was particularly direct, in calling into question his teammate’s decision-making:
“If he fouled him I guess it’s a red card. I haven’t seen the replay.
“But in these kind of crucial moments, you need to be sure to get the ball and if you can’t get it — again, I’m not sure if he got the ball or not — you have to stay away.
“I (would) prefer to concede the goal there or give the striker a one-on-one: give him the opportunity, let our goalkeeper save us or even concede a goal, because to be one man down with a red card so early in the game, it kills you.”
This is far from the first occasion on which Gündoğan has publicly targeted fellow members of Xavi’s squad this season, with as much understood to have gone down altogether poorly on the back of a defeat to Real Madrid early in the campaign.
This time round, however, the reaction amongst Barca’s ranks was a different one, at least on the part of some.
As per a report from Diario AS:
‘Many teammates have supported his words, thus confirming the wound that the defeat against PSG has opened in the locker room.’
After being urged to do so on prior occasions, Gündoğan, this time round, has not been asked to explain or clarify any of his harsh post-match comments.
Conor Laird | GSFN
