Robert Lewandowski not changed the Bayern for him boat on a whim. After winning almost everything Munich, accepted the difficult challenge of leading a team through a complete rebuild. Despite pulling the car with two fine goals in the decisive 3-3 against Inter, he was unable to avoid KO in Champions. It still hurts and he doesn’t forget it. From the World Cup, he wanted everything. This is how he delivers it in a message that is not euphoric but ambitious and well argued. A Lewy He likes to talk about football with the value of experience.
Excuse me but Barça are top of the League. Can we expect the League and the Europa League to be won this season?
We should think about it of course. This is a great and difficult challenge and we must face it without saying that we have no options. No, we have it because we are first in the League. In the Europa League, it might be too early. First you have to think about Manchester United but in the League you have to focus a lot on every game both at Camp Nou and away from home. If we go from victory to victory, the League will be closer to achieving it in the end.
He said in an interview with La Vanguardia before the World Cup: “Sometimes you have to know how to win and not how to play to win”.
Exactly.
Did you miss out on how to compete against Barça in the Champions League?
In the Champions League we didn’t know exactly how to win or how to play to win, but in the League we did very well. We have very young players. The experiences we’ve had over the past few months will bode well for next season or whatever is left of it. And yes, sometimes you have to know how to play to win, what you have to do to win. In the League we have done it a few times but we have to keep working because there are games where you win easily and score a lot of goals but there are others where you have a bad day and nothing matters but to win and go home with including three points.
Need to work on the psychological aspect?
It is not a matter of working on the psychological aspect. This is an issue that our mentality should be one of the winners. It doesn’t matter if we do it right or not. We have to have an idea that ultimately we want to be champions.
Do you want to play Super Cup?
Yes, as it will be the first game for me of the new year after the World Cup, it will be exciting. First it’s time to focus on playing well in the semifinals and then being able to play in the final.
He received a three-match ban, and Ancelotti, for example, was not punished for saying the referee invented the penalty. Do you have any explanation for this?
I don’t understand because I didn’t say anything to the referee. I told the coach, Xavi. And for me, nothing bad, nothing ugly. I didn’t realize I got a three-game ban for this, to be honest. I don’t deserve them for sure.
Do you think Spanish referees are generally less open to dialogue than in the Bundesliga or the rest of Europe or is it just this referee (Gil Manzano)?
In this referee’s case, the ejection was correct because it was a foul, one party would understand it, it was the right thing to do. But I was suspended for what I did afterwards, no. I did not say anything. I spoke to Xavi and Carlos (Naval), our delegate, who is next to the fourth official, because we know what we talked about a week or two before. It’s just that, there is a story behind it and I don’t understand the reason for the penalty. It’s not fair.
So far he has 13 goals in LaLiga, to Haaland’s 18 in the Premier. Do you see yourself with options to win your third Golden Boot in a row?
I don’t think so, to be honest, you can’t even compare leagues and clubs. Everyone has their own goals, their problems. In the end, the important thing is to win matches and titles, of course my goal is to help by scoring goals, but I work for the team. I work thinking about helping the team, not thinking about myself. I know my performances will help win games. Sometimes I have one or two defenders holding me or marking me close and you have to use that space to find another one and know if an opponent is more focused on me.
Romario promised 30 goals and scored them. You were between LaLiga and the Champions League for 18 years. Bet on a number at the end of the season?
Thinking about scoring 30 goals for my first season would be great. Of course, this is something that can happen. Now I will have three less games but I will also be fresher probably. I usually don’t have much time to prepare or do extra sessions with so many games. Now I can prepare for the rest of the season. We have a plan to be physically strong when he plays again. The campaign is very long and I can have positive things because I will be fresher and more dynamic throughout the season.
Piqué has retired, Busquets is likely to leave next summer, so there are captaincy vacancies. You have a lot of experience and this is very important for young players. Do you want to be one of the team captains?
The truth is I don’t think so. I am focused on a very long season ahead, with many games. For me this is not an issue that worries me. For me, the most important thing is to try to change the games and help the players on the field so that everyone gives their best. That will be seen after the season.
What’s your secret to playing like a kid at 34?
I remember that when I was 20 or 21 years old I started preparing for my career that did not reach 33 or 34, but I did everything to reach 37 playing at a high level. It always depends on how much you want to play. I wish it wasn’t down to a physical issue and that’s why I’m working on it. In practice races I’m not afraid of being behind, I’m in front. It means I’m doing the right thing. I feel great playing football, at the highest level. This is what I still do, being one of those players who can change things during a game to help my teammates and achieve our goals.
What does your spouse represent to you, both in your life and in your work?
He knows everything I need to do, not just the gym or boot camp. Also in nutrition and healthy products. You have to be patient and don’t expect the changes to be noticeable in two weeks. The road is very long. He has supported me for so many years. It allows me to be on top. The challenge is not only for me but also for him, who always finds something new. He also works with the doctor and if he sees that I need to change things to improve, I do it. Our body is our labor tool. Soccer is a physical sport, so physicality is very important to be at the top.
And at Barça, in general, do you work in the gym as much as you do at Bayern?
Here the young people are in the gym every day working hard. I didn’t expect this before summer arrived. I don’t know how it used to be, it always depends on the players but the work is the same as I did at Bayern, working in the gym and on the pitch. When I go to the gym I see a lot of players there and I’m not the only one. Usually the gym is full.
[+] Lewandowski responded to MD’s most personal test:
Source: La Verdad
I am Shawn Partain, a journalist and content creator working for the Today Times Live. I specialize in sports journalism, writing articles that cover major sporting events and news stories. With a passion for storytelling and an eye for detail, I strive to be accurate and insightful in my work.
