Football
Jonathan Smith, Manchester City correspondent 7y

Manchester City have to win trophies - Ilkay Gundogan

Ilkay Gundogan is ready to put a frustrating first season at Manchester City behind him by winning trophies and reclaiming his Germany place ahead of next summer's World Cup.

The 26-year-old, who joined from Borussia Dortmund last summer in a £21 million deal, had his first season cut-short in December when he suffered a cruciate knee ligament injury.

City finished third in the Premier League and were knocked out of the Champions League at the round-of-16 stage but Gundogan expects them to be challenging for silverware this season.

"It was important to directly qualify for the Champions League but we naturally hoped for more," he told German newspaper Sport Bild.

"We were very stable in the last few matches, and now it looks like there will be an upheaval once again. But independent of that it's clear our, and also my, aspiration has to be to win titles.

"That's what we work for every day. It's my perception that the Premier League stands above everything for fans in England. For us players the Champions League is the biggest, also because City have never won it."

Gundogan faces a fight to get his place in the national team back with Germany displaying their strength in depth by winning the Confederations Cup with a reserve side.

He has played in just four of Germany's last 25 fixtures after also missing out on Euro 2016 with a dislocated kneecap but he says his injury problems have given him the ability to cope with any setbacks.

"I always knew that we have a good depth and a lot of quality is coming through the ranks," he said of the national team. "But you know the problem is that other top nations have similar strengths. Looking at France or Spain, they are in no way inferior to us. It just shows that players already at 18 or 19 are top trained and have all the makings to play at the highest level.

"Principally you should be proud to have so many great players. Competition is part of professional sport, and I just try to access my best, and because I play in midfield I must be mentally fast.

"I know there is a World Cup coming up and it is only logical I want to be part of it finally. But I have learned that I must cope with certain things and accept them."

His City teammate Leroy Sane is another hoping to be part of the Germany squad and Gundogan says the 21-year-old has the potential to be one of the best players in the world.

Guardiola asked him for advice to get the best out of the former Schalke winger who, after a slow start to his career at the Etihad Stadium, showed his quality in the second half of the season.

"I knew that Pep rates him. He asked me a lot about Leroy, wanted my advice how to handle him. I was surprised at first, but, in my opinion, that also distinguishes a great coach," Gundogan said.

"He listens to a lot of opinions and, as a former player who has played at the highest level himself, he knows how you feel, be it as a player in the starting formation or on the bench. It impressed me.

"He definitely has the potential [to be a world star]. I believe that we have not seen everything yet, and that he's at right place at City and with Pep to continue his development. I am his biggest critic and know what he's capable of. He still has a lot of time."

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