Experience has consistently shown that leaving Barcelona carries significant risks. Many stars who departed Camp Nou in search of greater opportunities failed to recapture their former glory. Prominent examples include Ilaix Moriba and Marc Guéhi, La Masia graduates who couldn’t shine outside the club. Moriba ended up at Celta Vigo, while Guéhi became a regular substitute at Chelsea, highlighting the difficulty of making such a move without careful consideration. Even Neymar Jr., who attempted to excel at other clubs, is no longer a contender for the Ballon d’Or, his primary objective.
The most striking case, however, is that of Ilkay Gündoğan, who spent just one year at Barcelona. He was a high-profile signing by Joan Laporta and Deco, intended to bring experience and leadership to the dressing room, and was a key player for Xavi Hernández. However, the results fell short of expectations, and Gündoğan was deeply disappointed, despite rejecting lucrative offers that guaranteed him a chance to compete for titles.
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Even Hans-Dieter Flick couldn’t convince him to stay, and he left after 12 months for Manchester City. Since then, his career has clearly declined, and he failed to regain Pep Guardiola’s trust before opting last summer to join Turkish club Galatasaray, one of the few clubs that expressed interest in signing him.
According to Kicker magazine, Gündoğan now deeply regrets his lack of patience and his failure to trust Flick’s assurances that Barcelona could reclaim its status as a giant and that he would be a key player in the team. Now 35, it seems the opportunity to rectify this decision has passed.
