World footballer Lewandowski exposed his boss at FC Bayern with an explosive statement. Was that legitimate?
For once, Robert Lewandowski failed to score in FC Bayern’s 1-0 win at Eintracht Frankfurt. Nevertheless, he was the focus after the game. He became emotional when he commented on Russia’s war of aggression against Ukraine: “We are all against war and didn’t think it would come to that. It hurts to see it.”
He appealed: “The situation is dramatic and the whole world must support Ukraine.” Lewandowski himself made a mark by wearing a captain’s armband in Ukraine’s national colors of blue and yellow.
However, the Pole also caused a stir with statements about his sporting future. After Bayern’s sports director Hasan Salihamidzic had emphasized to Sky that selling the world footballer in the summer was not an issue and the club would do everything to ensure that he stayed, Lewandowski said: “I’m hearing that for the first time.”
Even if the 33-year-old emphasized that this topic was of secondary importance to him, he exposed his boss with the statement and confirmed reports from “Sport Bild” that FC Bayern had not yet offered his top striker an extension of his contract 2023 has been received.
Is it okay that Lewandowski openly exposes his boss Salihamidzic on TV?
Robert Hiersemann
Head of Football and Sports
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Yes, because he was just being honest
The contract of reigning world footballer Robert Lewandowski expires in 2023. A man like that can expect his sporting director to talk to him personally about the future at an early stage. The 33-year-old confirmed last weekend that this was not the case before. And of course he can also speak this truth publicly on TV. Where is the problem?
The record champions have been extremely successful in recent years, mainly because of their exceptional performance. Salihamidzic shouldn’t treat such an outstanding footballer like a player from the second row and let him fidget forever. Lewandowski has special rights. He’s earned it over the years.
And it’s just not fair to tell a well-deserved world star like him, indirectly and in passing in a TV interview, that everything will be done to stay in Munich. He should have been told that personally – months ago. At the latest when the first rumors about a possible Bayern transfer from attacker Erling Haaland came up. Instead, Salihamidzic publicly raved about the BVB striker. Lewandowski was just honest, but his boss made mistakes.
Florian Wichert
Deputy Editor in Chief
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No, that’s cheek
He is twice world footballer and has scored a sensational 333 goals in 362 games for FC Bayern – but Robert Lewandowski is also a real diva.
For years he has tended to mimic the offended liverwurst. For example, if a Bayern manager raves about another striker, only pronounces the name Haaland or if teammates don’t score enough goals for him.
Worse still: If Bayern does not make every effort to obtain its services – in this case, continued employment beyond 2023.
If Lewandowski actually heard for the first time that Bayern would like to extend him, he should open his eyes and ears. For months, those responsible have been smearing kilos of honey around their striker’s mouth, praising him as the best striker in the world. It is cheeky to embarrass your boss just because he has apparently not yet presented him with a contract that meets the Pole’s requirements.
Lewandowski already has a contract that apparently guarantees him around 24 million euros a year and runs until 2023 – i.e. until shortly before his 35th birthday. The fact that FC Bayern is still waiting until they present him with another contract is not only legitimate, but absolutely right.
Who is right?
In “Duel of the Week”, Florian Wichert (Deputy Editor-in-Chief at t-online) and Robert Hiersemann (Head of Soccer and Sport) comment on current soccer topics on a weekly basis. Watch the format in the video above or on free TV from 9 p.m. as part of “Bundesliga Analysis” on Sport 1.