Ilkay Gundogan divulges Pep Guardiola message during private meeting upon Manchester City return | OneFootball

Manchester City midfielder Ilkay Gundogan has divulged the contents of a private pre-match meeting with manager Pep Guardiola.

The 33-year-old marked his return to the Etihad Stadium during the second-half of Manchester City’s 4-1 win over Ipswich Town in the Premier League on Saturday afternoon, as Erling Haaland emphatically netted his 10th hat-trick for Pep Guardiola’s side.

Gundogan made his 305th Manchester City appearance against Kieran McKenna’s newly-promoted side, having completed a free transfer back to the Sky Blues on Friday morning, re-signing from FC Barcelona after just one season.

The former Germany international, who captained Manchester City to a landmark treble during his initial seven-year stay in east Manchester between 2016 and 2023, quit Barcelona after just one season due to the Spanish side’s continued financial woes.

Gundogan has signed an initial one-year deal at Manchester City, however the midfielder could trigger a further 12-month extension during the 2024/25 campaign, should the 33-year-old make a certain number of appearances.

The midfielder won 14 trophies during his initial spell at the Etihad Stadium, and featured 51 times for Barcelona during the recent 2023/24 season.

Gundogan featured as a substitute against Ipswich at the weekend, and has revealed that he held a ‘short meeting’ with manager Guardiola ahead of the fixture, having only received international clearance to feature on Friday afternoon.

“I had a short meeting with Pep [Guardiola],” the German revealed.

“He showed a few sequences, as since I left he tried to adapt a few details. Hopefully I get them as quick as possible. I feel very confident and we’ll see what kind of role I contribute. I’m ready to be challenged.”

Fellow Manchester City summer signing Savinho also featured during Saturday’s victory, with the Brazilian making his home debut and second successive start, having also played against Chelsea at Stamford Bridge.

The forward was heavily involved in the early action, winning a penalty and registering an assist during the first-half turnaround.