İlkay Gündoğan pays an ode to ‘loyal’ Barcelona fans for their unconditional support following team’s 5-0 annihilation of Antwerp

Barcelona midfielder Ilkay Gundogan told the press that it was Barca's fans that gave them the motivation to give such a good performance.

İlkay Gündoğan pays an ode to ‘loyal’ Barcelona fans for their unconditional support following team’s 5-0 annihilation of Antwerp

Ilkay Gundogan speaking to the press after the game (via X/FCBarcelona)

This week, on Tuesday, FC Barcelona kicked off their Champions League campaign with a spectacular win against Royal Antwerp F.C. The home side were firing on all cylinders, and a rampant display saw the Blaugrana dismantle Antwerp 5-0. Following the game, recent signing İlkay Gündoğan gave special praise to the home fans for their spectacular win.

Gundogan was brought in from Manchester City on a free transfer. It was after the midfield maestro chose not to extend after a treble winning season with the Cityzens. After the game, he took a moment to praise the home fans and their involvement in the 5-0 win. He said, “To get far, to win a lot of games in this competition, you need a connection, a bond, between the stadium, the supporters and the players.”

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He added that the players truly felt the fans and their involvement in the game. He also said that “the result is perfect, it’s a great start for us, to start into the Champions League campaign like that.” He opined that it was a very good performance and that the club shouldn’t let the win affect their approach to games in the future.

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He also said that the fans got what they wanted in their 5-0 win as a return of their support. Gundogan said, “that’s obviously something that we play for as well,” pointing to the win on Tuesday night. He said that the club will look to maintain this level of performance throughout the season for all games. They will try to maintain the same intensity for the upcoming home game against Celta Vigo on Saturday.

Related : Fan runs NAKED on the streets of Lisbon after losing an online bet to Barcelona’s Joao Felix

Barcelona had a spectacular match against Royal Antwerp

Barcelona were all business on Tuesday night as Xavi‘s side showed their prowess against Royal Antwerp. João Felix opened the scoring for Barca when he was found on the edge of the box by a threaded pass from Gundogan. The new signing took a touch to his right before slotting it into the bottom left corner.

It caught the Antwerp keeper on the wrong foot. An unmarked Robert Lewandowski doubled the lead when he got on the end of a sublime Félix assist, placing it past Jean Butez at the far post.

Joao Felix
Joao Felix vs Antwerp (Via Goal.com)

Raphinha‘s cross made an unfortunate deflection off of Antwerp defender Jelle Bataille and fell into his own net, making it 3-0 for Barcà in just 21 minutes. Minutes after the second half began, Barcelona youngster Gavi bagged his first ever Champions League goal when he blasted it past Butez to make it 4-0, adding to Antwerp’s misery.

Lewandowski came close on multiple occasions to add to his tally, but it was the man of the moment, João Felix, who bagged a brace. Cutting onto his left from the far right, Raphinha found an unmarked Felix at the far post, who headed home for the fifth and final nail in the coffin for Royal Antwerp.

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The Blaugrana made a statement win at home to kick off their UCL campaign. Xavi’s side will look to go deep into this year’s UCL campaign after early exits and disappointments in recent seasons. Barcelona will face Celta Vigo at home on the weekend before facing Mallorca away from home.

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