Ilkay Gundogan criticises Barcelona mentality after El Clasico defeat

The Catalans suffered a painful comeback as they lost against Real Madrid on home soil.

Barcelona players were not frustrated enough after their dramatic defeat against Real Madrid on Saturday, according to Ilkay Gundogan.

The German midfielder put the Catalans ahead with a sixth-minute goal. However, Jude Bellingham’s brace in the second half was enough to seal the victory for Barca’s arch-rivals.

Speaking on La Liga TV, Gundogan appeared to criticize his teammates for their post-match reaction.

“I don’t want to say anything wrong, but I was in the dressing room and there was disappointment, but to be honest, I would’ve liked to see more frustration and anger,” Gundogan said.

“There should be stronger feelings. I did not come here to lose these types of matches.”

Barcelona have significantly improved their form under Xavi Hernandez in the past two seasons while returning to trophy-winning ways.

However, there is still a concern that they sometimes lack the killer instinct required to win high-stakes fixtures. Even signing established superstars like Gundogan and Robert Lewandowski has done little to help Barca’s mentality in some crucial matches.

Barcelona fell four points behind Real Madrid at the top of the La Liga table after the Clasico defeat. The Catalans will take on Real Sociedad in their next league game on November 4.