Does history repeat itself? Robert Lewandowski wants to leave Bayern Munich a year before his contract expires, but the club won’t release him. The situation of the Poles was already similar at BVB in 2013. At the time, however, Borussia Dortmund remained firm and was right: Lewandowski, despite all the fears, never gave up and ultimately went to Munich as the celebrated top scorer. In the event of a final Bayern veto, things should not go quite so harmoniously this time.
May 3, 2014 was a very special day for Robert Lewandowski. Even before the Dortmund home game against TSG Hoffenheim kicked off, the striker was fighting back tears. There were loud ovations, a large bouquet of yellow flowers and a photo collage as a reminder of four successful years at BVB.
The then 25-year-old didn’t score a goal in his last home game in the black and yellow jersey. Nevertheless, “Lewandowski” chants echoed through Signal Iduna Park during the team’s lap of honour.
“My emotions are still very high. It was an incredibly beautiful moment after so many great games and four great years at BVB,” said a visibly moved Lewandowski after the final whistle.
At this point, his free transfer to Dortmund’s big rivals Bayern Munich had been certain for some time, but this did not damage his image in the long term. Lewandowski went south with the reputation of the “full-blooded professional”, there was hardly any resentment.
Eight years later, the top scorer is again at a crossroads, but the signs are completely different.
Public mud fight at FC Bayern
In early summer 2022, the tablecloth between Robert Lewandowski and FC Bayern seems to have finally been cut. Unlike at BVB, the background noise surrounding the world soccer player’s intentions to change is extreme this time.
Of course, there was also frustration in Dortmund when it became clear that the Munich team, who were not overpowering at the time, had convinced a second top performer from Borussia to sign after Mario Götze. However, there was never a public mud fight.
A state that FC Bayern can only dream of at the moment. In the chronically agitated environment of the German industry leader, things are currently particularly high, and the mood is fueled by statements from all directions: from club bosses, ex-professionals to consultants and Lewandowski himself, everyone has their two cents to the transfer theater on the Säbener Street.
The most recent low point was the verbal skirmish between Bayern’s sports director Hasan Salihamidzic and Lewandowski agent Pini Zahavi, who wants to force his protégé to move to FC Barcelona.
“Of course you can keep Robert for another year, to be fair he has a contract until 2023, but I wouldn’t recommend that to you. For Robert Lewandowski, FC Bayern is history,” said Zahavi of “Bild”.
Lewandowski apparently wants to leave Bayern Munich
Salihamidzic had previously made serious allegations in the “Sport1” “double pass”. Lewandowski has “an advisor who turns his head. That’s just not clean,” the Bosnian poisoned Zahavi.
The professional himself had already announced after the last game of the season in Wolfsburg that he did not want to extend the contract and at the same time made no secret of his thoughts on leaving. From the official side, Lewandowski was then made clear that a premature separation is not planned. In fact.
What distinguishes Lewandowski’s BVB farewell from his current situation
Because if Lewandowski were forced to stay there would entail enormous risks for FC Bayern, a repetition of the harmonious separation in Dortmund seems impossible. There are reasons.
On the one hand, a lot has obviously broken up between the player and the club in the past few weeks and months. As impressive as Lewandowski’s performance as a striker in Munich is, his relationship with his bosses has recently been strained.
“He hasn’t felt respected by those responsible for months, that’s the truth. Bayern didn’t lose the player Lewandowski, but the person Robert,” revealed advisor Zahavi.
The background is said to be that FC Bayern is said to have tried to get Dortmund striker star Erling Haaland before he signed with Manchester City.
Another factor and also a big difference compared to his BVB farewell is Lewandowski’s advanced football age.
The goalgetter will be 34 in August, so he doesn’t have much time left for a new adventure in another league. His patience is correspondingly low, and the top scorer in the Bundesliga obviously cannot and does not want to wait a year like Borussia.
Ribéry warns FC Bayern
According to consistent reports, Lewandowski now wants to leave, preferably to Barcelona. Whether the new league, the good weather or even the improved chances of winning the Ballon d’Or appeal to him the most is unclear and basically irrelevant for FC Bayern.
Munich’s decision-makers now have to weigh up what they prefer: a fee of between 30 and 40 million euros and an end to the recent smear theater or the whereabouts of what may still be the best striker in the world – combined with the risk that this will be in the pout angle withdraws.
Striking: The superstar has already cut the first connections to the club on Twitter. While he was there for a long time with the Munich jersey, he is now presenting a fashion collection under his name.
If Lewandowski’s longtime teammate Franck Ribéry has his way, there can only be one solution. “Bayern is a great club, one of the biggest in the world. But sometimes you want and need a change. That’s the case with Robert,” the Frenchman told the Polish portal Wirtualna Polska.
Holding him against his will is dangerous. “A footballer who is forced to stay can be frustrated and angry,” Ribéry warned. However, FC Bayern cannot afford a Lewandowski who does not give everything (anymore).
The world footballer would probably still score his goals if he were in a sulk, his ambition is too great for that, but in the background it could put a permanent strain on the atmosphere in Julian Nagelsmann’s team. After a mixed season, the mood is already anything but tingling, further disruptions around the hanging section could cause it to tip over completely.
In any case, Salihamidzic and Co. should no longer hope for a repetition of the peaceful Lewandowski farewell from Dortmund in the event that the ban on switching is maintained.
Heiko Lütkehus