By Frank Ulom
Former Manchester City midfielder, Ilkay Gündoğan has shared his most memorable experience with former manager, Pep Guardiola.
Guardiola is known as one of the best football managers in the world as well as one of the most difficult and private person too.
However, Gündoğan still enjoyed his time with Guardiola when he reached out while living in Manchester.
In his most recent interview with TPT Football, the German International said “I remember one time, I was hanging out with a friend of mine when we remembered that it was Pep Guardiola’s birthday. So my friend suggested that we give him a present.
“Pep was actually my neighbour in Manchester, so we bought a bottle of champagne, my friend wrote him a card in Spanish, and then he knocked on his door. When he came back, he said that Pep had been very happy about it.
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“Anyway, I went back to the cinema room and forgot about it. About half an hour later, there was a knock on the door. I was like, ‘Who the f*** is this?’ I thought my friend had ordered pizza or something.
“My friend opened the door, and it was Pep!
“He said, ‘Where’s Gundo?’
“We were both really surprised because Pep is such a private guy. We had seen him around in the elevator and stuff, but he had never been in my apartment. He had brought the champagne bottle and three glasses. He ended up staying for an hour or so, just to chill.
“It reminded me that, even though we play football, this profession is also about humans, you know? And I think that, when I end my career, what I will remember the most are the people I shared it with.
“I guess you could say the same thing about life.”
Gündoğan is currently at Barcelona after joining from Manchester City following a season where he won the treble with the English side.
