Ilkay Gündoğan and his wife, Sara Arfaoui, embarked on a new chapter of their lives when they made the switch to Barcelona. However, their Catalan adventure has reportedly taken an unexpected turn, leaving them with a sense of abandonment.
After the conclusion of the thrilling 2022-2023 season, Manchester City announced that Gündoğan would be leaving the Etihad Stadium upon the expiration of his contract.
As rumors about his next destination buzzed, the Turkish German midfielder shocked everyone by completing a free transfer to the Spanish La Liga giant, Barcelona.
It was supposed to be a dream move for the couple, a chance to savor the Mediterranean lifestyle and the iconic blaugrana (blue and garnet) team colors.
Yet, as they settled into their new surroundings, they found themselves longing for the support they had anticipated from the Catalan club.
Spanish news outlet SPORT unveiled the couple's disheartening experience, highlighting their expectations of assistance from Barcelona regarding essentials like housing and transportation.
A disheartened Gündoğan voiced his concerns, prompting an apology from the club.
Unfortunately, this was not an isolated incident.
The narrative of players feeling left high and dry by their new clubs has become an increasingly familiar refrain in the world of football.
For these athletes and their families, the promise of a fresh start can quickly turn into a struggle for stability.
On the pitch, Barcelona's woes continued as they faced their fierce rivals, Real Madrid.
In a tense showdown, Los Blancos emerged victorious with a 2-1 scoreline, courtesy of a remarkable performance by Jude Bellingham, who netted two crucial goals for Madrid.
Post-match, Gündoğan did not hold back, expressing his frustration and disappointment with his teammates.
He believed that their reactions were insufficient given the circumstances.
"I have to be honest, not as much as I wish because I don't want to say something wrong. But I was in the dressing room, and of course, people are disappointed," he said.
"But especially after such a big game and a result that is so unnecessary, I wish for more frustration, more anger and more disappointment. This is a little bit the problem," he added.
Gündoğan's words reflected his determination and passion for the game. He had set high expectations for himself and his teammates, and the El Clasico defeat had left him yearning for a stronger response.
He concluded, "There has to be more emotion, especially when you lose and when you know you can perform better, do better in certain situations, and you just don't react."
In his eyes, Barcelona needed to step up their game if they were to remain competitive in La Liga, given the fierce competition.
The disappointment of the El Clasico loss was a stark reminder of the challenges they faced, and Gündoğan had no intention of letting the gap widen any further.
