German national soccer player Ilkay Gündogan suffered a minor head injury during strength training. The FC Barcelona professional got an iron bar on his head while doing exercises in the gym and had to be stitched up in the hospital, Spanish media reported.

As things stand, the 33-year-old midfielder’s appearance in the next league game for Barça is not in jeopardy. Coach Xavi’s team has to play against UD Las Palmas in the Primera División on Thursday. After 18 match days, the team around Gündogan, the currently injured national goalkeeper Marc-André ter Stegen and ex-Bundesliga professional Robert Lewandowski are only in fourth place in the table with 38 points.

For Gündogan, an eventful year ends with a moment of shock. With Manchester City, the 73-time national player won the treble of the Champions League as well as the championship and cup in England as captain in the summer. In the national team, however, the former Dortmund player experienced a disappointing 2023 with only three wins in eleven international matches and the change of coach from Hansi Flick to Julian Nagelsmann.