Ilkay Gündoğan says rejoining Manchester City feels like coming home, with familiar faces and Erling Haaland's trademark goal-scoring making it seem as though he never left.
After ending a seven-year, trophy-laden tenure at the Etihad Stadium last summer, the 33-year-old captain signed with Barcelona on a free transfer, leading the side to a treble.
Gündoğan, who left as a club legend, was welcomed back with open arms, making a memorable second debut as a substitute in Saturday’s 4-1 comeback victory over promoted Ipswich.
"Honestly, it feels like returning home and it's such a joy to be back here playing this amazing football, trying to set standards," Gündoğan said.
"I feel very privileged.
"Not much has changed. There are a few new faces in the team, but the boys welcomed me with open arms when I arrived.
"It honestly felt like I'd never been away, and also Erling [Haaland] scoring a hat trick – I don't think there's anything better I could get used to. Hopefully, there are many more to come."
Gündoğan believes "there's no better team in world football that has so many players at such a high level."
Haaland regularly shines the brightest thanks to his scoring prowess, with Saturday's hat trick taking the 24-year-old's tally to 94 goals in 96 starts for City.
"When you have such numbers, of course, it also comes with the expectation from people," Gündoğan said.
"We all remember last year and the year before when he didn't score for one, two, three games, and people were already criticizing, 'Is he fitting the team?' or this or that.
"Dealing with that at such a young age is not easy, but his behavior inside the dressing room, his attitude, and the way he interacts with people, whether players or staff, is just incredible.
"I think he is an example, not just as a player but also as a human being, of how we treat people and how he makes not just himself better but also us better. That is why it is a big privilege to share the dressing room with him."
Gündoğan is also delighted to be working with Pep Guardiola again, his neighbor after returning to the Manchester apartment he kept during his time in Barcelona.
The midfielder says the pair kept in touch throughout his season away and have an "amazing" relationship, with reports suggesting he might be keen to join Guardiola’s coaching set-up one day.
"It is not something we really spoke about," Gündoğan said. "Obviously, we talked about tactics.
"He explains things to me, and we exchange ideas. I feel there is so much to learn from him, and it is something I will definitely consider for the future.
"That is why I did my B license badges a couple of years ago, but it is not something we have discussed yet.
"I think everyone who could be on his backroom staff would feel privileged, and so would I one day when I consider retiring.
"But I am not done yet. I still want to play a few more years because I feel physically top, mentally on an amazing level, and I just want to enjoy playing football."
