AS soon as the Champions League draw was made, Ilkay Gundogan picked up his phone and sent a text.
He was sitting with his Manchester City team-mates in Abu Dhabi, watching TV during their warm-weather training camp.
But there was one person he wanted to share the moment with after learning City would be facing Liverpool in the quarter-finals.
Gundogan revealed: “I only said ‘see you soon’ and sent him a little smiley emoji.
“He answered with a smiley, as well. I think that we were both happy with this match-up.”
That message went to Jurgen Klopp, his old manager at Borussia Dortmund and one of the biggest influences in the 27-year-old midfielder’s career.
They won the Bundesliga, the German Cup and Supercup at Dortmund and came so close to winning the European crown at Wembley back in 2013.
Gundogan said: “I had four fantastic years with Jurgen.
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“We won a lot of things together, lived through many different experiences.
“I think that Jurgen is a terrific coach. He’s capable of motivating his team ahead of every game.
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He doesn’t mind if it’s a friendly between amateur teams or a Champions League final, for example.
“He’s a top guy who knows how to deal with his players, how to treat them and how to motivate them.
“Jurgen played a very important role for me and I’m very grateful to have played in that team at such a high level for so many years.
“I learned a lot and those days left a mark on my career.”
Gundogan had the chance to join up with Klopp again at Anfield when he decided to leave Dortmund in summer 2016.
But the German international turned down his old boss for the opportunity to work with Pep Guardiola at the Etihad.
Gundogan, who cost City £20.4million, said: “I just wanted to do something new. I’m a very curious person and I want to experience new things.
“I’d always wanted to work with Pep. I’d played against him and I wanted to know how it would feel to train and play under him.
“When the chance arose I didn’t consider other options.
“He’s got a gift that not many coaches have, even in a tactical sense — and this makes him maybe the best coach in the world nowadays. That is why so many players want to work with him.
“They see how his teams play, they see it’s an appealing type of football.”
City go to Anfield for the first leg of the Battle of Britain showdown tomorrow night.
And Gundogan believes two-time Champions League winner Guardiola can help finally put one of his biggest disappointments behind him.
That came five years ago when Klopp’s Dortmund were edged out by Arjen Robben’s winner for Bayern Munich in as dramatic final at Wembley.
Gundogan scored a second-half penalty but Dortmund lost 2-1 and that defeat still hurts today.
He said: “You can’t go higher at club level than playing in a Champions League final so that was very special for me.
“I guess the goal coming in the last minute was just bad luck for us and I’m still upset about it to be honest.
“But I am lucky to now be playing with a team that can say that they can also make it to the Champions League final.
“We hope to and we’ll try our hardest to make it there again this season.”
“Maybe I can make up for the lost 2013 final and win this time. That would be the best feeling ever.”
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