ÍLKAY ALSO RELEASED AS CAPTAIN
Culé pride! Gündogan, awarded German footballer of the year
Published:10/09/2023 - 09:12h
Updated:10/09/2023 - 09:12h
Ílkay Gündogan was awarded by the German Football Federation as the footballer of the year in the run-up to the friendly against Japan. The FC Barcelona midfielder also made his debut as captain, although the Japanese ruined the party
The German Federation of Football rewarded to Ílkay Gündogan like footballer of the year in recognition to his big season 2022/23 with the Manchester City. The mediocentro of 32 years, stellar reinforcement of the FC Barcelona this summer, won it everything with the group 'sky blue' before leaving to Catalonia, being captain and figure with the ones of Pep Guardiola to win the triplete (Premier, FA Cup and Champions).
Besides, the one of Gelsenkirchen also assumed officially the captaincy of the German selection in the friendly in front of Japan (1-4). Gündo Inherited the strip of Manuel Neuer, but his première like captain was very bitter after the hard goleada fit in Wolfsburgo in front of a selection that already had won them in the World-wide of Qatar. Ílkay Played the complete party beside Marc-André ter Stegen, another that follows without having luck like international with 'die Mannschaft'.
The hard self-criticism of Gündogan after the goleada in front of Japan
The mediocentro culé accompanied to the technician Hansi Flick in the back press conference to the fall in front of the Japanese and did not doubt in doing a hard self-criticism by the deep crisis that crosses his selection. Germany adds three consecutive defeats and four in the last five friendly that has contested. His last triumph was in March in front of Peru (2-0), only after the abysmal phase of groups that completed in Qatar.
"Today it is a very bitter day, disappointing. Japan was better in everything, in attack and defence. We committed a lot of errors that left them hand manually with Ter Stegen. This is the reality. Perhaps we believe us better of what really are", sentenced Gündogan. The defeat leaves very touched to Flick and no descarta a change of trainer in the weeks to come. Germany will be headquarters of the next Euro and, after the failures in 2016 and 2020, there is not margin of error for a selection that also comes to fall deleted in phase of groups in the two last world-wide.
