GUARDIOLA JUST AS SWEET ON ‘MR WHIPPY’ AS EVER

ILKAY GUNDOGAN’S importance to his manager was evident before the German even set foot in England. Not only was he the first signing of Pep Guardiola’s reign, Manchester City bought him injured. Dislocating a kneecap playing basketball before Euro 2016, he feared the £20million move from tonight’s opponents Borussia Dortmund would be off. But Guardiola called him to offer reassurance and told Gundogan to get himself to Manchester. Guardiola had attempted to land him while at Bayern Munich and told City sporting director Txiki Begiristain he really needed him in the months prior to arriving as Manuel Pellegrini’s successor. Gundogan didn’t make his debut until September and found a groove before rupturing his anterior cruciate ligament three months later. Again, City and Guardiola waited. The midfielder was missing for 276 days. Tonight, he will line up against his former employers for the first time. Gundogan is 30 now, his story one of perseverance, and he is City’s surprise top goalscorer with 16 this season. Guardiola has pushed Gundogan forward in recent months. One Twitter account nicknamed him Mr Whippy after his curling 20-yard strike into Crystal Palace’s top corner three months back. ‘The nice people deserve recognition,’ said Guardiola. ‘I know how he behaved when he didn’t play, or when he was not playing good in the bad moments. He’s beloved. An incredible human. He thinks what’s best for the team. ‘The year we won the second league title with 98 points, he was incredible as a holding midfielder.’ Gundogan lives on his own and has not seen his family since a trip to Turkey in August. The loneliness of lockdown has affected him, but Gundogan has given back to the local community, visiting the elderly, raising money. Quieter than most, he leads by example. On the pitch, he is the embodiment of Guardiola’s methods.