Xavi responds to Gundogan's controversial El Clasico interview
Cameron Smith
- 3 Nov 2023 12:43 CDT
- 3 min read
Barcelona head coach Xavi has spoken out following Ilkay Gundogan’s controversial interview in which he criticised his team-mates’ reaction to Jude Bellingham’s late winner for Real Madrid last weekend.
The former Manchester City star opened the scoring in El Clasico before a brace from 2023 Kopa Trophy winner Bellingham, including a stoppage-time winner, sealed three points for Carlo Ancelotti’s Real Madrid.
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Gundogan spoke to the media after the game and didn’t hold back, admitting that Barcelona’s reaction was not good enough. The German said: “I’m coming from the dressing room and after a result like that, I wished to see more anger, frustration or disappointment.
“This is a little bit of a problem, you know? There has to be more emotion, especially when you lose.”
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What did Xavi say?
Xavi was asked about Gundogan’s comments on Friday and admitted to the media, as per Get Football News Spain: “Conforming is not part of Barcelona’s DNA. There is a demand for excellence and to win here.
“Gündogan’s interview was spoken about within the dressing room, he clarified what he meant and there is no problem. No one has to tell us what the demands are at Barça - especially me having spent my whole life at the club.”
Xavi continued: “We agree with Gündogan and don’t see any controversy. We lost El Clásico because we made mistakes. There was a lack of concentration and we disconnected.
“He expressed the anger we all felt. I could have said it or someone else, but he did because his culture is perhaps different to ours.
“If you see the defeat Bayern [Munich] suffered the other day, the captain came out, [Thomas] Müller, and said something similar. It is cultural.
“There has been no controversy generated in our dressing room. We think the same as Gündogan. This is Barça. That’s the level of demand and excellence here. That is how it is,” the Barcelona boss concluded.
Barcelona face Real Sociedad on Saturday, hoping to bounce back following last weekend’s defeat.
