Former Barcelona sporting director, Jordi Cruyff, assessed his time at Barça in an extensive interview with journalist Fabrizio Romano and revealed some of the inner workings of the club’s recent planning. Cruyff admitted that it wasn’t a good move to let Aubameyang go considering his performance: “If it had been up to us, we would have liked to keep Aubameyang for several years.” Cruyff hinted that the striker left due to the economic issues at the Blaugrana club.
Jordi Cruyff also explained the signing of Robert Lewandowski: “The most important reason we signed Lewandowski was because it was his dream to play for Barça. He had that motivation and wanted to leave Bayern. When you know he’s willing to make a lot of efforts to come, even financially, you need to sign him.”
The former sporting director also mentioned that Gundogan’s arrival followed a similar path: “Gundogan had many offers on the table, but he wanted to play for Barça and that’s why we were able to sign him.”
Finally, Cruyff referred to the current streak Real Madrid is experiencing in Europe and acknowledged their good work: “When you’re a Barcelona fan, you think that Madrid is lucky, but there comes a point when you understand that it’s not luck but the quality of the club. How many times have we seen them in recent years on the brink of being eliminated in the Champions League and yet they end up coming through?”
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