Barcelona dressing room reaction to Real Madrid loss not angry enough – Gundogan

Barcelona midfielder Ilkay Gundogan reacts after defeat to Real Madrid in El Clasico at Montjuic in October 2023.
(Image credit: Getty Images)

Barcelona midfielder Ilkay Gundogan has hit out at the dressing room reaction after Saturday's 2-1 defeat to Real Madrid in El Clasico, saying he expected to see "more frustration, more anger and more disappoinment" after such an important loss.

Gundogan gave Barcelona an early lead at Montjuic with his first goal for the Catalan club, but Jude Bellingham scored a screamer midway through the second half to equalise and sealed victory for Madrid with a winner in added time.

The former Manchester City midfielder cut a frustrated figure at full time and after the match, he was asked by LaLiga TV if the mood in the Barça dressing room was low after the loss.

"I have to be honest, not as much as I wish because I don't want to say something wrong, but I was in the dressing room and of course people are disappointed," the German said.

"But especially after such a big game and a result that is so unnecessary, I wish for more frustration, more anger and more disappointment. This is a little bit the problem.

"There has to be more emotion, especially when you lose and when you know you can perform better, do better in certain situations and you just don't react.

"It transfers to the pitch at the end of the day. We need to make a huge step in that because otherwise Real Madrid or even Girona are going to run away and I didn't come here to lose this type of game or to let a gap create."

The defeat leaves Barcelona four points behind Madrid and Girona with 11 rounds of LaLiga played.

Xavi's side travel to Real Sociedad next Saturday in another tough fixture.

More Barcelona stories

Barcelona reportedly still owe €200 million in transfer fees, which includes money for players who left the club a long time ago, such as Miralem Pjanic, Junior Firpo and Emerson Royal.

Sergi Roberto is out of contract at the end of the season and the right-back could join former Barcelona team-mates Lionel Messi, Jordi Alba and Sergio Busquets in MLS.

Meanwhile, Barça's 16-year-old sensation Lamine Yamal has been likened to Lionel Messi, a comparison which has not gone down well at the Catalan club.

Ben Hayward
Weekend editor

Ben Hayward is a European football writer and Tottenham Hotspur fan with over 15 years’ experience, he has covered games all over the world - including three World Cups, several Champions League finals, Euros, Copa America - and has spent much of that time in Spain. Ben speaks English and Spanish, currently dividing his time between Barcelona and London, covering all the big talking points of the weekend on FFT: he’s also written several list features and interviewed Guglielmo Vicario for the magazine.

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