Barcelona winger Anthony Gordon is embracing a glamorous week that includes a Champions League clash with Paris St-Germain on Tuesday, El Clasico against Real Madrid on Sunday, and the Ballon d'Or ceremony on Monday. Gordon played the full 90 minutes in Barcelona's Champions League epic against PSG and is likely to play a significant role against Real Madrid.
Gordon has never hidden his ambitions to be part of the Ballon d'Or conversation. "I've always dreamt of that since a kid," he told the media at the recent England camp. "I believe anyone can achieve anything they put their mind to - they just need a lot of luck." His critics may call the dream fanciful, but his self-confidence and improvement mindset have taken him to another level this year.
Barcelona surprised many when they signed him in May for £69.3m, despite having the option to land his England team-mate Marcus Rashford. Gordon responded with a standout World Cup, scoring in the semi-final against Argentina and claiming the first-choice left wing spot from Rashford. He made an instant impact at Barca with two assists on debut and has four assists in 10 La Liga games so far.
Gordon says his game is evolving under Barcelona's possession-based style, a contrast to the intense, back-and-forth football he played under Eddie Howe at Newcastle. He takes pride in his football IQ and decision-making, and believes Barcelona is highlighting strengths that people have overlooked.
Source: Sky Sports Champions League · Summarized by HeadlinesBriefing