Gundogan: My Opinion on Yamal and Rodri, and the Match Will Be Exciting
German national team midfielder Ilkay Gundogan appeared in a press conference to talk about the upcoming match against Spain today, Friday, in the quarter-finals of the European Championship.
Gundogan said, "For a 16-year-old, Yamal has made great strides. When you look at where I was at 16, he's in a completely different place. The way he plays football and takes risks, he's a very important player for Spain and Barcelona, and I have great respect for what he is doing."
He added, "Rodri? I remember his first season at Manchester. He spent 45 minutes to an hour extra on the training field with Pep Guardiola. He has come so far and learned a lot. For me, he is definitely the best midfielder in the world. You can't keep a player like that quiet for 90 minutes, but there are ways to make things more difficult for him."
He stressed, "From now on, every match is a final. I am sure both teams will play as if it is a final. The media talks about us as the two best teams. This shows that we have done many things correctly, if not perfectly. There is nothing better for a football fan or player than this type of match."
He continued, "Facing Spain will be one of the most exciting matches of the tournament."
He concluded, "We deserve to be in the quarter-finals. We have a great group of players and a great coach, as well as a fantastic support team behind the scenes. There is a great atmosphere among German fans at the moment, and we want to enjoy it for as long as possible."