Barcelona star İlkay Gündoğan speaks on Xavi’s influence on his signing & Hansi Flick rumours

Barcelona star İlkay Gündoğan has today spoken out regarding the managerial situation at the club.

The subject of the bench in Catalunya’s capital has of course dominated the headlines across not only Spain, but all of Europe, over the course of recent weeks.

This comes after Xavi Hernández announced his intention to step down from his post upon the season’s close.

As much is understood to have come as quite the shock to the Barcelona brass, who have, in turn, since been forced to kickstart a search for the ex-midfielder’s replacement.

Speaking in an interview with La Vanguardia on Tuesday, the aforementioned İlkay Gündoğan, as a result, was inevitably drawn on recent developments in the Blaugrana dugout.

And, first, Gündoğan made use of the opportunity to provide an insight into just how significant a role his soon-to-be former headmaster played in his decision to make the move to Camp Nou:

“Xavi was the key for me to choosing this club.”

Drawn specifically on the potential appointment of Hansi Flick, whom the midfield standout played under during his time with the German national team, Gündoğan went on to reveal his admiration for the rumoured favourite of Joan Laporta:

“Next coach? There are many names and this is not my area but all I can say is that Hansi Flick is not only a great person but also a great coach, as he proved by winning the treble for Bayern. He arrived in the national team in a very difficult situation, but he was always honest and I respected him a lot.”

Check out Gündoğan’s interview with La Vanguardia in its entirety here.

Conor Laird | GSFN