Robert Lewandowski will play with FC Barcelona in the Copa del Rey semi-final first leg at Atlético Madrid on Thursday – his future club? The 37-year-old’s future is currently the subject of heated debate in Catalonia.
Robert Lewandowski is currently miles away from the battle for the top scorer crown in La Liga. This is unusual for the goal-hungry Pole, who, with ten goals, is already 13 goals behind leader Kylian Mbappé of Real Madrid. On paper, “Lewy” has played only four games fewer than the Frenchman, but in reality, the latter has played over 1,000 minutes more than Lewandowski. The former Bayern striker is no longer the undisputed number one in the Catalan attack.
Lewandowski (nine substitute appearances in La Liga), who has not been spared injuries this season either, is increasingly having to take a back seat to Ferran Torres. Barcelona’s most successful striker has scored twelve goals in 21 appearances. How long will Lewandowski, driven by his tireless ambition, continue to play? His contract expires next summer.
Despite the fact that he will then be 38, the competition is pricking up its ears in view of this uncertain situation. Coach Hansi Flick, who already had the 163-time Polish international striker under his wing at Bayern, recently remained tight-lipped on the subject of a contract extension. “He’s doing well, sometimes he wants to play more. That’s normal,“ Flick recently reassured fans. ”We’ll see what happens at the end of the season. Now is not the right time to talk about it.”
No rush for Lewandowski
Would Barcelona’s coach have said something different about an indispensable piece of his squad?
According to Mundo Deportivo, which is close to the club and usually well informed, Lewandowski is taking a relaxed approach to the normal mechanisms of the industry. According to the report, Lewandowski’s final decision is not expected until April at the earliest – and thus after the presidential elections on March 15. Until then, there will be plenty of time to explore the offers on the table. Mundo Deportivo claims to have learned from the player’s entourage that he has received five concrete offers.
Chicago Fire – and who else?
The MLS club, for which Bastian Schweinsteiger once played, would offer him the opportunity to play outside Europe for the first time and bring his career to a fitting conclusion.
The same would probably apply to an unspecified offer from Saudi Arabia. Atletico Madrid, AC Milan, and Fenerbahce sound much more ambitious in sporting terms. This trio is also said to have approached Lewandowski’s camp. However, in the autumn of his career, the model athlete is primarily seeking stability and family happiness. For this reason, Lewandowski is currently said to prefer an extension in Barcelona, even if it would involve a lower salary. Outcome: completely open.
