Pep Guardiola, the manager of Manchester City, has not held back in his assessment of Ilkay Gundogan’s recent performance. After the team’s 1-1 draw against Newcastle United last weekend, Guardiola stated that Gundogan played his “worst game” in the last eight or nine years.

In the match at St. James’ Park, Gundogan struggled to make a meaningful impact, and his lack of performance contributed to the disappointing draw for City. However, the German midfielder quickly turned things around just a few days later.

In a Champions League match against Slovan Bratislava, Gundogan was back to his best, helping City secure a commanding 4-0 victory. After the game, Guardiola praised him, saying, “Ilkay Gundogan played at a level that we know he can do. The game in Newcastle was not really good, maybe one of the worst I’ve seen of him… then he played a fantastic game in the Champions League.”

Gundogan, who returned to Manchester City this summer after a year with Barcelona, is expected to build on his strong performance in the Champions League and continue contributing positively to the team. Guardiola’s comments highlight the high standards he sets for his players, and fans will be eager to see how Gundogan responds in future matches.