Robert Lewandowski was never as serious about his desire to change as he was this summer. During his time at FC Bayern, the Pole had repeatedly flirted with wanting to find his football luck abroad, but the record champions kept getting his life insurance. A successful déjà vu from the club’s point of view seems unlikely this summer, even if the bosses around Oliver Kahn, Hasan Salihamidži? and shadow king Uli Hoeneß refer to their vehement “Basta”. But the fact is: Lewandowski has a valid contract until June 30, 2023, so he is tied to the series champion for another season.
Lewandowski shows up professionally and punctually for training at Säbener Strasse: Because the attacker has always been a professional footballer, despite all the jabs in the past, he will also show up for training at FC Bayern this Tuesday. The Pole will go through the program set by trainer Julian Nagelsmann, chat with his teammates, maybe joke and disappear again. A man for the people, as his colleague Stephan Uersfeld recently wrote, he never was and probably never will be. Doesn’t have to. Football is Lewandowski’s job. FC Bayern his employer. The cold truth.
Lewandowski appears on time for training, but gives the diva: The theater of the past few weeks has left its mark on the 33-year-old. Lewandowski, who had admitted with a view to FC Bayern that something had “died” in him, did take up his duties, but let it be seen with every action how much it annoys him to have to be back on Säbener Strasse. Among other things, he had justified his frustration with the fact that he missed the appreciation of the bosses. Although 99 percent of the money is only expressed in euros, Shadow King Hoeneß found it a few weeks ago, but the player’s side sees it differently. From her point of view, one would rather not have tried (unsuccessfully) to Erling Haaland, but negotiated with Lewandowski about a future beyond 2023. Of course with a few corresponding appreciation euros.
Lewandowski goes on strike: Just don’t show up. He wouldn’t be the first footballer to opt for this, well, outrageous kind of protest. Prominent role models can be found in the Bundesliga, including at his former club Borussia Dortmund. Ousmane Dembélé, for example, was so bold that BVB finally let him move to FC Barcelona (what a punchline!). The black and yellow exploited the need of the Catalans, who urgently needed to land a coup, and had a total of 150 million euros transferred. Lewandowski’s environment has repeatedly considered this option in the media in recent weeks. Meanwhile, Spanish media reports that the player has decided against the strike – but is still hoping and urging the change.
Lewandowski is sold spontaneously: No, that’s not realistic. Even if FC Barcelona, ??which has been resuscitated in monetary terms, wants to improve its offer again, according to media reports. But that this consuming saga suddenly comes to a lightning end, nobody believes that. Although the Basta of Salihamidži? and Kahn should slowly soften, but according to the “Bild” newspaper, Hoeneß is still there. Whose Basta is still unchanged and unchangeable. As a member of the supervisory board, the man from the outdoor studio in Tegernsee still has a say in approving transfers. And because he always believed in and defended Salihamidži?, even in the most difficult times, the sporting director should still listen to Alpha Bayern’s word.
Lewandowski draws the devil’s joker: a contract is a contract. If you think so. Means: If the club does not want to let its striker, who is tied until 2023, go, he has to stay. Or not? There is paragraph 17 of the FIFA Statutes. And the record champions must tremble before this. This paragraph gives professional footballers a special right of termination if the following conditions are met. Contracts can therefore be concluded for a maximum of five years and can be terminated unilaterally by footballers after the age of 28 after three years and by older players after two years. The Pole now meets the requirements – unlike when he was at BVB, when he and those around him thought about this option – and could use the paragraph for himself, probably without expecting a ban. But things are not that simple, as sports lawyer Christoph Schickhardt explained to the “Bild” newspaper: “Basically, he can commit the aforementioned breach of the law. But whoever gets involved commits hara-kiri!” FIFA deliberately kept the consequences unpredictable. You have a bouquet of sanctions and measures in hand. “And you don’t know how many roses with how many thorns are in there.”
Lewandowski ends his career and becomes a calendar saying influencer on Instagram: just kidding.
