CITY Ilkay ready to become top Gun in Blues’ bid for glory
ILKAY Gundogan claims he is close to his best form … just as City hit the crunch part of the season.
And the Germany star could enhance his chances of pinning down a place in the Blues team after taking on team-mate David Silva last night.
They were on opposite sides as Germany drew 1-1 with Spain in a friendly.
Pep Guardiola will be delighted that he can choose between two top internationals, with a fortnight coming up that will see Premier League games against Everton, United and Tottenham abbreviated by two Champions League quarter-final clashes with Liverpool.
And Gundogan declaring that he feels he is now close to his best after a couple of years that have been interrupted by injury woe will be music to the coach’s ears.
The 27-year-old faces stiff competition to make the national team for the World Cup this summer, with Sami Khedira, Julian Weigl, Toni Kroos and Emre Can all specialising as central midfielders, and he has a big challenge to get in the City team as well.
Gundogan’s international career has suffered thanks to back and knee injuries.
He missed the start of last season after dislocating his kneecap towards the end of his time at Borussia Dortmund, and then tore his anterior cruciate ligament in December to rule him out for the rest of his debut campaign.
By the time he was fit again, Silva and Kevin de Bruyne were tearing it up as the Blues’ two attacking midfielders, and Gundogan was a more than useful understudy.
But Silva’s recent absences for family reasons, and Fernandinho’s suspension and injury have handed him the chance to hone his game.
Now City can benefit. Gundogan says of his injury troubles: “It feels so much in the past. I don’t even want to think about it.
“It’s a big change now for me, a very happy change. It feels great, I’m enjoying it a lot and obviously I’m doing everything I can to stay fit. I just think about now, about being part of the team, about training well and playing well, about doing what the manager and the staff want me to transport into the team.
“I have my own impact and during the last months I was still on my way to my best.
“Now, I feel nearly or already there, and I am having fun and I’m happy.”
Gundogan is one of a small handful of City stars who have experienced a Champions League final – his Dortmund side lost to Bayern Munich in 2013.
And he says that City’s next European task is to show that they belong in exalted company, by challenging the big boys.
“We are still on a road – a good way, I think, with the way we play – to come into that elite of clubs in Europe,” he said. “I wouldn’t say we are there. We need to compete with teams like Madrid, Barcelona, Bayern Munich, Juventus – the biggest teams.”