Ex-Barcelona child prodigy Gai Assulin exclusively: “Pep told the captain: ‘You put the team on'”
Assulin was once considered a top talent at Barca, where he played in the second team under Guardiola. He then took the plunge to Man City.
Gai Assulin, former top talent of FC Barcelona, did in an interview with Goal and SPOX among other things, talked about his time in the second team of the Catalans. His coach at the time in the 2007/08 season: Pep Guardiola.
The now 30-year-old particularly remembered a scene under the future world coach: “We were in the playoffs for promotion and I remember the last game. We drew in the first game away, then the second leg came at home. Everyone was very nervous. During the final training, Pep said to our captain: ‘You set up the team. You choose the players. I don’t care which of you is playing, because I trust you 100 percent and I know you will win. “
Assulin: Scene with Guardiola at Barcelona B “an experience that will stay with me forever”
Assulin revealed that Guardiola chose the formation in the end because all the players really wanted to play. Nonetheless, for him this scene is “an experience that will be with me forever. Because if there is one thing coaches like, then it really is to set up their team!”
During Guardiola then the Barca pros to become one of the best teams in history formed, Assulin, who opted for the Israeli national team, never made the leap into the star ensemble of the Catalans.
Even at Manchester City, the top talent could not prevail afterwards and then changed clubs almost every year. The Israeli played for Crema in the Italian Serie D last season, but is currently without a club.