Barcelona boss Xavi defends Ilkay Gundogan over his El Clasico outburst and insists the squad agrees with his claim that players should have been ‘angrier’ during their loss to bitter rivals Real Madrid
- Barca boss Xavi said the team share Ilkay Gundogan’s anger after El Clasico loss
- He said there was ‘no problem’ with his outburst, which he clarified to players
- Big debates on Man United, Chelsea and Arsenal on It’s All Kicking Off podcast
Barcelona boss Xavi insists he has ‘no problem’ with Ilkay Gundogan’s outburst hitting out at the team for their lack of emotion after their 2-1 loss to Real Madrid.
The Catalan outfit suffered an agonising defeat in their El Clasico game at home to their rivals, who scored a winner in stoppage time thanks to Jude Bellingham completing a brace at the Nou Camp.
Gundogan was seething after the match, saying his team-mates were not ‘angry’ enough following the result and called for more ‘frustration and disappointment’.
His public dressing down of the squad might have been one that caused friction – but Xavi said the entire squad agreed with his thoughts – as he revealed the German player clarified them with his team-mates.
‘Conforming is not part of Barcelona’s DNA,’ he told the media ahead of their trip to Real Sociedad. ‘There is a demand for excellence and to win here.
Barcelona boss Xavi has defended Ilkay Gundogan after he criticised the squad for their reaction to losing El Clasico
He insisted the entire team shared his anger that they were not emotional enough following the 2-1 loss to Real Madrid
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‘Gundogan’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 Barca — especially me having spent my whole life at the club.
‘We agree with Gundogan and don’t see any controversy. We lost El Clasico 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.’
Gundogan’s outburst came during the same week when Thomas Muller hit out at his Bayern Munich team-mates after their shock loss to German third-tier side Saarbrucken.
Xavi claimed Barcelona made mistakes and lacked ‘concentration’ against their bitter rivals
He questioned why more players did not walk over and acknowledge the travelling supporters after their German Cup exit – and Xavi said his comments showed that it is normal to hold each other accountable in the dressing room.
‘If you see the defeat Bayern [Munich] suffered the other day, the captain came out, [Thomas] Muller, and said something similar. It is cultural.
‘There has been no controversy generated in our dressing room. We think the same as Gundogan. This is Barca. That is how it is.’
In his rebuke of the squad, Gundogan insisted he wasn’t happy with the way his team-mates reacted after the game and urged them to make a ‘huge step’ in order to have any chance of winning LaLiga.
Gundogan said he wanted to see more disappointment after losing such a crucial match
Gundogan said: ‘Of course people are disappointed but after such a big game, and such result, I wish there was more anger, frustration and disappointment.
‘There has to be more emotion, especially when you lose.
‘You know you can do better in certain situations and you don’t react, and this transfers to the pitch at the end of the day.
‘We need to make huge step or Real Madrid or Girona is going to run away.
‘I didn’t come here to lose these types of games or let a gap be created [at the top of the table].’
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