"Vinicius maybe likes..." This is what Gundogan said ahead of Barça vs Real Madrid

This Saturday will be played the first 'Clasico' of the season 2023/24. For the 11th matchday of La Liga, Barcelona and Real Madrid will face each other at the Estadio Olimpico Lluis Companys in Montjuic. There, both teams will try to get a victory that will allow them to move away from their rivals in the standings. For now Los Merengues are joint leaders with Girona with 25 points, but Los Culés are only one point behind.

Fans around the world will be watching what happens there, as not only will two of the best teams in Europe be facing each other, but also some top stars. Robert Lewandowski is recovered from his sprained ankle and is likely to return to Barcelona's starting lineup, while Jude Bellingham is also better and Real Madrid coach Carlo Ancelotti confirmed he will play.

Ilkay Gundogan is another of the Catalan side's stars. In an interview with Esport3 he spoke about the 'Clasico' and said: "It will be a game with a lot of emotion, because it is a big game, perhaps the biggest game of their lives so far for the younger players in the team. We will all have to be more calm and patient than we have been lately. Matches can't turn into a back-and-forth like the Shakhtar game, because the penny can drop on either side. We must be more in control. In recent games we have made very simple mistakes that have cost us goals that we could have avoided. With my experience, it's also my job to make them know how to stay calm."

He went on to explain his role within the team: "I didn't come here to shine alone or to be a superstar. I came here to help the team succeed and to help my teammates be better.

What did he say about Vini?

Gundogan was then asked about one of Real Madrid's stars, Vinicius Junior, and replied: “Someone may interpret Vinicius' actions as a provocation, but for me, honestly, they are not. Obviously, he already knows that if he does these things he will be whistled at. But maybe he likes being whistled at, I don't know.”