"Why should I be ready?" - A frustrated remark from Galatasaray star Ilkay Gündogan before the game against Barcelona speaks volumes
Ilkay Gündogan has raised eyebrows with a frustrated remark about his role as a benchwarmer at Turkish champions Galatasaray.
The former Germany captain spent another full 90 minutes on the bench as his club beat Kasimpasa 3-1 in the Süper Lig. Asked afterwards if he was ready for next week's Champions League clash with former club FC Barcelona, he replied in a resigned and venomous tone: "I'm not playing anyway - so why should I be ready?"
The 35-year-old has barely had a chance to prove himself this season under head coach Okan Buruk. Gündogan has featured in only two matches and played a meagre 11 minutes.
Against Kasimpasa, Buruk went with Lucas Torreira and Gabriel Sara in central midfield. Torreira was sent off, though, which could open the door for Gündogan on the next matchday when the defending champions travel to Genclerbirligi.
First up, though, is the eagerly awaited meeting with FC Barcelona. The Catalans were in magnificent form before the international break and head to Istanbul on Tuesday evening. Gündogan will face some familiar faces, having played for Barca in the 2023/24 season. After returning to Manchester City, he joined Galatasaray on a free transfer in the summer of 2025. He has made 40 appearances for the club, scoring two goals and providing five assists. His contract expires after this season.
Gündogan is not the only German at Galatasaray struggling right now. Leroy Sane is also nowhere near a regular starting spot. Against Kasimpasa, the former Bayern winger came on in the 77th minute and at least helped turn 1-1 into a 3-1 win in stoppage time.
Gündogan and Sane are Galatasaray's problem children
Still, Sane remains a problem child: in eight appearances this season, he is yet to register a direct goal involvement. Fanatik reported last week that Sane was due to meet the sporting management because of his poor form. The club hierarchy reportedly hoped the talks would not only shed light on the reasons for his slump, but also demanded a rapid improvement from one of their top earners.
For the 80-cap Germany international, who was recently also left out of the DFB selection by Germany head coach Jürgen Klopp, the situation at the Yellow-Reds has been tense for weeks. Back at the start of September, the newspaper Sabah reported clear signs of discord.
According to the report, Sane was unhappy with his playing time and at one stage was even flirting with an early departure. Internally, he is said to have blown his top over his role as a squad player. At the time, Sane reportedly made it clear that he did not see himself as a reserve for brief substitute appearances and that this situation did not meet his expectations.
