Haaland and Grealish react to Gundogan’s ‘amazing’ Man City message
Ilkay Gundogan shared a heartfelt message with Manchester City supporters after helping the side progress to yet another FA Cup final, while also celebrating a personal milestone.
Manchester City booked their place in the FA Cup final after a comfortable 2-0 victory over Nottingham Forest.
Rico Lewis opened the scoring within just two minutes, setting the tone early for Pep Guardiola’s team. Josko Gvardiol then doubled the lead, giving City full control of the match and leaving Nottingham Forest with too much to do.
The result means City have now reached the FA Cup final for the third consecutive season, underlining their continued dominance in English football, despite their poor league campaign.
Jack Grealish shared a message with Man City supporters following the win, but Gundogan also wanted to send a dedicated message of his own, reflecting both on the team’s achievement and his pride at reaching a personal landmark in his career.
Ilkay Gundogan celebrates 350 appearances for Man City
Gundogan marked a major milestone as he made his 350th appearance for City during the FA Cup win over Nottingham Forest.
The German midfielder shared a message on Instagram to celebrate the achievement, posting: “350 games for this amazing club! Definitely more highs than lows – and a lot of people I have to say thank you to for their support during this long journey.”
The post earned plenty of reactions from his Manchester City teammates, including the injured Erling Haaland, Grealish and Nathan Ake, who all showed their support by liking the message.
Despite his strong bond with the squad, Man City fans have criticised Gundogan, with some questioning his performances this season and even suggesting Pep Guardiola’s decisions could come under scrutiny if he continues to be a regular starter.
The City legend returned to Manchester last summer following a brief spell at Barcelona, but his form has come under fire in what has been considered a disappointing season by the club’s usual high standards.
However, with City’s participation in the Club World Cup this summer, there remains the possibility that Gundogan could be offered a short-term contract extension to remain with the squad for the tournament.
| Stats by club | Man City | Barcelona | Borussia Dortmund |
| Appearances | 350 | 51 | 157 |
| Goals | 62 | 5 | 15 |
| Assists | 42 | 14 | 19 |
Man City plot midfield reinforcements including Morgan Gibbs-White
Although Guardiola has kept faith with Gundogan, City are planning to overhaul their midfield options this summer.
Football Insider revealed on 11 April that Nottingham Forest’s Morgan Gibbs-White is among Man City’s top targets, alongside Bundesliga stars Florian Wirtz and Jamal Musiala.
The 25-year-old is likely to command a significant fee if he is to leave the City Ground, but Manchester City are expected to prioritise midfield signings, especially with the departures of Kevin De Bruyne and possibly Gundogan adding to their need for reinforcements.