Robert Lewandowski’s Controversial Encounter with Barcelona: Insights from Sebastian Staszewski’s Biography

omidbasir- The biography of Robert Lewandowski by Sebastian Staszewski, titled ‘Lewandowski. The True Story,’ unveils a controversial episode involving the forward and FC Barcelona.

According to the account in the book, Lewandowski met with several board members, including President Joan Laporta, just two matches before the conclusion of the 2022-23 La Liga season, which Barcelona had already secured under the management of Xavi Hernandez. By that time, Lewandowski had emerged as the league’s top scorer, known as the Pichichi, with 23 goals.

During this meeting, a board member reportedly asked, “Robert, we need you to stop scoring in the last two matches.” Lewandowski was taken aback, as such a request had never been made to him in his career.

The rationale behind this unusual request was financial. Barcelona faced a payment of €2.5 million to Bayern Munich if Lewandowski reached 25 goals. With the championship already won, the club sought to persuade the player not to score further goals. Ultimately, Lewandowski did not find the back of the net in the final two matches despite playing the full duration of both games. Nevertheless, he secured the Pichichi title ahead of Karim Benzema.

The book also touches on Barcelona’s precarious financial situation. During one of Lewandowski’s travels, he noted the limited variety of meat and fish on the menu and inquired with the chef, who responded, “We have to save.”