Ilkay Gundogan has expressed admiration for departing Bayern Munich manager Thomas Tuchel, who is reportedly a contender to succeed Xavi at Barcelona.
Recently, Barcelona confirmed Xavi’s departure at the end of the 2023/24 season, with the team’s performance falling below expectations compared to the previous season’s La Liga triumph.
Despite Barcelona’s recent improvement, earning ten points from the last 12 available, they lag behind Real Madrid by eight points and have been eliminated from the Copa del Rey after a significant defeat to Athletic Club.
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As speculations swirl about Xavi’s potential successor, Thomas Tuchel, a former Champions League winner set to leave Bayern Munich in the summer, is among the candidates.
Gundogan, who previously worked with Tuchel at Borussia Dortmund, had positive remarks about his former manager when asked about him.
“I’m very surprised that Bayern are having difficulties now. With Thomas Tuchel, they have one of the best coaches in Europe,” Gundogan commented. “I can only say positive things about him from when we were at Dortmund. He’s outstanding tactically and extremely honest and open. Personally, I got along very well with him.”
Even before the official announcement of his departure from Bayern, Tuchel openly expressed interest in the possibility of coaching Barcelona, emphasizing his willingness to take on another international challenge.
“Moving abroad would appeal to me again. Spain has an extraordinary league,” he stated. “From my perspective, and based on my experience working with Spaniards, they are characterized by a tremendous amount of self-confidence. When you speak with Spanish players, I quickly get the sense that you are engaging with the person.”