Barcelona’s dressing room split: Ilkay Gundogan’s dismantling of his team-mates is nailed down on to THREE big-name culprits – and ‘other players support his criticism’ – just days before El Clasico
Ilkay Gundogan’s brutal criticism of his Barcelona teammates can be reduced to three main culprits, but some in the dressing room would agree with him.
The Catalan giants crashed out of the Champions League when they lost 4-1 to Paris Saint-Germain in the second leg of their quarter-final on Tuesday evening.
It came after Barcelona returned from Paris with a 3-2 lead, which was then increased by an early goal from Raphinha.
However, they capitulated after Ronald Araujo was sent off for a foul on Bradley Barcola, with PSG storming to victory thanks to goals from Ousmane Dembele, Vitinha and two from Kylian Mbappe.
Former Manchester City midfielder Gundogan previously slammed his teammates after they lost 2-1 in the Clasico to Real Madrid in October.
Ilkay Gundogan hit out at his Barcelona teammates after their defeat to PSG on Tuesday night
The Catalan giants exited the Champions League in the quarter-final against PSG
He was upset when teammates seemed unmoved by the loss afterward and sat on their phones in the locker room afterwards.
On that occasion, Gundogan faced a backlash from the group for his public criticism.
However, according to ASOn this occasion, quite a few colleagues have supported Gündogan’s views, indicating that there is now division in the dressing room.
It comes as Barcelona prepare to play Real again at the Bernabeu next Sunday evening. Xavi’s team is currently eight points behind LaLiga leaders Real, with seven sets left to play.
Gündogan specifically criticized Araujo after the match on Tuesday for his dismissal in the 29th minute.
‘If he [Araujo] defiled him [Barcola]”I think it’s a red card. I haven’t seen the replay, I don’t know. You probably know better than us,” the German said CBS.
‘It’s hard to say. I think that at crucial moments like this you have to be sure that you get the ball.
‘If you don’t [know whether you’re going to get the ball]and again, I don’t know if he touched the ball or not, you should stay away.
‘I would prefer to concede a goal or give the striker one-on-one. Even though the ball was played quite far ahead, I don’t even know if he would have reached the ball.
Gündogan felt that Barcelona ‘gave the game away in the simplest of ways’ and stated that Ronald Araujo deserved to be sent off for fouling Bradley Barcola
Gundogan said Araujo should have allowed Barcola to go ahead and score instead of fouling him
When down to ten men, Barcelona collapsed, conceding four goals as PSG romped to victory
“But maybe let our goalkeeper save us or even concede a goal, because if you take one man down so early in the game, your game becomes deadly.”
Although he didn’t name names, Gundogan also criticized the way Vitinha scored, with Robert Lewandowski being the man responsible.
“Again, it’s another mistake. I think we should go there and not let him shoot because he was so free,” Gundogan said.
“I mean, it’s nothing we haven’t trained in, to be honest. The man closest to the player, to the ball, must step out. There were three of us and Vitinha was the fourth man.
Gundogan also lamented the fact that no one stepped out to close down Vitinha for PSG’s second goal
Gündogan was also critical of Joao Cancelo’s foul on Ousmane Dembélé, which saw him awarded a penalty
‘Someone has to go, but no one did it, or did it too late, it was a good shot and the second goal.
“Again, it wasn’t necessary at all, but it’s too late now.”
Joao Cancelo was also on the receiving end as he conceded the penalty, allowing Mbappe to make it 3-1 for PSG on the night, putting them ahead on aggregate.
Again, Gündogan did not mention Cancelo by name, but described it as a “decisive action, a crucial situation… and they will punish you.”