With sunglasses and a Bayern jersey over his Bavarian costume, Robert Lewandowski raised the championship trophy on the balcony of the town hall to the cheers of thousands of Munich fans. Under a bright blue sky, the supporters started a polyphonic wooing for the world footballer, who apparently would rather quickly score his goals for FC Barcelona.
“Lewa stay, Lewa stay,” echoed the fans’ calls from below onto the balcony. The 33-year-old Pole huddled around in the background a little bashfully before stepping up to the microphone – and being silent about his future. He “loves scoring goals the most”, but probably in a different country in the future – and in a different shirt.
“We missed being here with you,” he called out to the fans instead after two champion years without a fan party in downtown Munich. At the end of his short speech, he patted his shirt chest near his heart. To do this, he called the club’s motto into the microphone: “Mia san mia.” But how much longer will that still apply to him?
Bayern boss Oliver Kahn meanwhile spoke a few meters away from top earner Lewandowski a power word that can hardly be revised. Nothing will go for Lewandowski before the summer of 2023, he said, referring to his working paper. “He will fulfill this contract – that’s it!” said the CEO in the best Uli Hoeneß manner on Bavarian television. Kahn was demonstratively relaxed: “The whole fuss, all this alarmism, we know that from the past. That doesn’t give us a headache.”
Honorary President Hoeneß endorsed this attitude in Munich City Hall on Sunday. It would be “also my opinion that you don’t give it away,” said the 70-year-old, whose opinion still counts a lot.
Kahn was otherwise aggressive on the town hall balcony. In the direction of Borussia Dortmund, RB Leipzig or other Bayern hunters, he said: “I’ve heard that the competition is hoping to be champions next year. But I’m telling you, they can brush off this hope.”
Trainer Julian Nagelsmann also made an offensive appearance at his balcony premiere: “I would like to celebrate more titles with you next year. Hopefully there will be one or two more titles next year.” In the DFB Cup, Bayern were knocked out by Borussia Mönchengladbach in the second round. In the Champions League, in the quarter-finals against Villarreal FC, it was the last stop – disappointing.
Are big goals – especially internationally – realistic without Lewandowski? It could have been the Pole’s last party days in Munich. Basically he already said “Servus” at the weekend.
Lewandowski’s tactics are as follows: “If an offer comes, then we have to think about it – also for the club. Both sides have to think about the future,” he said after the 2-2 draw at VfL Wolfsburg on the last Bundesliga matchday. His 35th goal of the season there could have been his last in a Bayern shirt, after the game he got the league top scorer for the fifth time in a row.
“It’s quite possible that it was my last game for FC Bayern. I can’t say for sure, but it could be,” he said.
Coach Nagelsmann remained clarified as in the weeks before. However, he has described a quick departure as a “loss”. After all, Lewy has been delivering top performance for years. But Nagelsmann knows the business, so he said professionally: “There is little room for grief. You have to try to make the best of the situation.”
Thomas Müller wants Lewandowski to fulfill his contract. On the fringes of the championship celebration, the offensive colleague referred to the laws of the football business: “It’s like that, he has a contract until 2023. That means FC Bayern already has the reins in their hands. Of course we would be in favor of him staying. But of course, we all know the business…” And contracts only count to a limited extent.
The Bayern bosses are currently arguing very closely in the Lewandowski case. For some fans, sports director Hasan Salihamidzic is once again the bogeyman. He is primarily responsible for personnel planning. Lewandowski told him “that he would like to do something different,” said Salihamidzic in Wolfsburg. Kahn emphasized that Lewandowski’s advisor Pini Zahavi had been offered an extension of the contract beyond 2023, which he had “rejected”. That is of course “the good right” of the consultant.
Kahn indirectly confirmed that it was an offer only until 2024. The Lewandowski party expected a longer term. “We are very clear and consistent there,” said Kahn, referring to Müller (32), who just extended it by just one year. “There is no player who is bigger than the club,” emphasized Kahn.
Club President Herbert Hainer indicated that both sides would have to “agree” for Lewandowski to be transferred this summer. The Bayern problem is: A (Barcelona) offer for Lewandowski would have to be very lucrative, i.e. probably 40 million euros plus x. The problem would remain the successor solution.
He “doesn’t see any striker far and wide” who could replace Lewandowski, especially not at the moment, said Hoeneß. But if you have a year to look for a successor, “then the starting position for FC Bayern is much easier,” said the former Bayern man.
FC Barcelona is said to be waiting for a hint from Bayern about the amount of the transfer fee, as reported by the TV station Sport1. No agreement has yet been reached between the clubs. A three-year contract has been announced between Lewandowski’s agent Zahavi and Barcelona.
