Gündogan faces Barcelona after a season start with little playing time

Barcelona meet their former player İlkay Gündogan tonight, with the midfielder arriving in a difficult spell. Aged 35, he has lost his place in Galatasaray’s rotation at the start of the season, making just 11 minutes of playing time in total.

Those minutes came in two appearances: six in the opening round of the league against Corum, followed by five in Galatasaray’s Champions League debut. In the most recent match against Kasimpasa, Gündogan warmed up on the touchline but did not come on.

His last appearance in a match was on September 9. He therefore approaches the reunion with Barcelona without competitive rhythm. A place on the pitch tonight looks highly uncertain; at this stage, the prospect of seeing him face his former teammates in the match appears particularly difficult.

Gündogan joined Galatasaray in the summer of 2025 after leaving Manchester City. His return against Barcelona comes as he continues to struggle for playing time at the start of the campaign.