Barcelona have been suffering a letdown season in 2023/24, falling from first to third in LaLiga with the title becoming more difficult to grasp due to Real Madrid’s improvement after the transformational Jude Bellingham signing, this is one player exceeding his expectations for Barcelona
Barcelona have been suffering a letdown season in 2023/24, falling from first to third in LaLiga with the title becoming more difficult to grasp due to Real Madrid’s improvement after the transformational Jude Bellingham signing.
While Barça didn’t add a player of Bellingham’s caliber this past summer, they have benefited from a couple of big upgrades. First, they have scintillating young talents who are new faces in the squad, namely right winger Lamine Yamal.
And secondly, their actual best player of the 2023/24 season, Ilkay Gündogan, was a new addition this summer – as a free agent, no less.
Gündogan has been one of the only players meeting expectations for Barcelona this season, with the likes of Pedri, Frenkie de Jong, and Robert Lewandowski struggling through either form or injury.
Meanwhile, the German international became the first player to reach 100 chances created in Europe’s top five leagues and has featured in all 38 fixtures across competitions.
He is the only Barcelona player to take the field in every game, and he does so both with class on the pitch and off it. Gündogan is a leader on a team that is still sorely lacking in leadership and accountability, including from FDJ and Lewa this season.
The numbers speak for themselves. In LaLiga, the 33-year-old has 5 goals and 6 assists, averaging a whopping 2.8 key passes per game and 1.1 fouls drawn per match.
Gündogan was exquisite and vital last season in Manchester City’s Premier League and Champions League-winning campaign, but he’s been even better for Barcelona this season, especially when you look at the direct impact of the chances he creates.
On a team filled with disappointments and excuses, Gündogan has risen above the rest as the standout. Barcelona need to find more Gündogans who can provide both technical and personal class.
He is an example for their next generation and has quickly fit the values of the club. You wonder where Barça would be if they did not sign Gündogan, who has been even better than advertised.