Barcelona Signed Him to Lead Their Post-Messi Age. Now Some Want Him Gone.

“Everything Robert won at Bayern Munich, the goals he scored, it was all with the aim of ending up where he is now: playing for Barcelona.”

Robert Lewandowski’s occupation has been filled with goals, however two summers in the past he fulfilled what’s honest to explain as his final ambition. The quote above comes from a supply very just about the 35-year-old striker — who, like every the ones cited on this article, most well-liked to talk anonymously to offer protection to relationships.

Signing for Barca was once a longstanding goal of Lewandowski’s. But since becoming a member of for €45million (£38.5m; $48.7m at present charges) in July 2022, now not the whole lot has became as rosily as he may have anticipated. This season has now not been his largest, and uncertainty has advanced round his place on the membership — even supposing this week’s Champions League round-of-16 first leg at Napoli comes as he has begun to turn higher shape in entrance of function.

Lewandowski was once the big name of the display in Barcelona’s La Liga victory at Celta Vigo on Saturday, scoring a brace that integrated a 97th-minute winner from the penalty spot, and he now has 4 targets from Barca’s previous 3 suits.

This contemporary momentum, on the other hand, presentations up as a unprecedented shiny spot when having a look again throughout what has to this point been an overly disappointing marketing campaign at Barcelona. Lewandowski has now not been the one participant underperforming, however his standing as a marquee signing opens him as much as further scrutiny, and wider issues over his suitability were rising for a while.

Lewandowski’s arrival at Barca was once supposed to sign the real start line of a brand new challenge below Xavi. One of Europe’s maximum prolific goalscorers was once to behave as a task type for a brand new technology and lend a hand the membership omit Lionel Messi’s worrying departure.

Now, that ‘project’ has necessarily already folded, with Xavi to step down on the finish of the season. And Lewandowski appears set for a aggravating switch window in the summertime, with some on the membership already resolved to in quest of a sale — until he can end up the doubters improper.

“A lot of people believe Barcelona need to have a franchise player. A go-to man who sells shirts, represents the public image of the team and becomes a reason to attract fans to the stadium. Deep down, that was the reasoning behind Lewandowski’s signing in 2022.”

This is how a senior membership supply describes the gamble Barcelona took two summers in the past with Lewandowski’s signing from Bayern. The earlier summer time had noticed the membership’s greatest legend, Messi, leaving in tears, whilst different key figures comparable to Gerard Pique, Sergio Busquets and Jordi Alba gave the impression to be achieving the overall phases in their careers in Catalonia. It was once made up our minds the Camp Nou wanted a brand new idol, and president Joan Laporta appeared to Lewandowski.

The deal to convey him didn’t wholly break out complaint on the time. In the summer time of 2021, Barcelona made up our minds to not lengthen Messi’s contract, with phrases already agreed, to be able to lend a hand remedy the membership’s monetary issues. One yr later, they spent €45million on a 33-year-old Lewandowski, signing him to a three-year maintain an possibility for a fourth. This August, he’ll flip 36.

If the Messi deal were finished, the Argentinian would have earned €20million within the first yr of his new contract, earlier than then seeing his salary build up considerably. Lewandowski’s annual wage, as a median over 4 years, is reportedly set at €26m.

But Lewandowski hit the bottom working. Over 2022-23, he scored 33 targets and equipped 8 assists in all competitions. He was once La Liga’s most sensible scorer with 23 as Barca received their first league name in 4 years. Despite as soon as once more struggling Champions League failure (they have been eradicated on the workforce level) Barca enthusiasts had some reason why to wish they have been seeing the beginning of one thing larger.

Yet, you have to additionally see the early indicators of issues starting to construct to the place they’re now.

The 2022 World Cup was once obviously the turning level in Lewandowski’s debut season. Before its get started, he scored 13 targets within the first 15 La Liga suits of the season, additionally grabbing 5 Champions League targets.

After getting back from a disappointing show with Poland (he scored two targets they usually have been knocked out within the last-16 by means of France), not anything was once moderately the similar. Lewandowski misplaced just a little of his spark, which may also be standard in a season, however because it became out, it by no means actually got here again.

Lewandowski performed 19 extra video games in La Liga after Qatar 2022, scoring 10 targets, of which 4 got here with the name already secured. Tensions within the dressing room began to appear, in addition to frustration with himself. But most vital of all, it additionally become transparent that the most productive model of Xavi’s Barcelona was once now not absolutely suitable along with his most well-liked taste of play.

Barca’s Supercopa de Espana victory over Real Madrid in January 2023 continues to be arguably probably the most convincing show below Xavi’s tenure. They outclassed their Clasico competitors in a 3-1 win ignited by means of a tactical tweak: sacrificing one winger for some other frame in a four-strong midfield.

Xavi was once satisfied it equipped the trail to observe, regardless of the impact it had on Lewandowski.

“I understood this team needed more control and less transitions and that’s why we changed our approach a bit,” he stated at the day Barca have been topped league champions following victory over town competitors Espanyol, in May final yr.

“We felt higher controlling the ball and I prioritised the gamers that didn’t lose ownership. That’s how I perceive soccer, it belongs to that more or less gamers: the midfielders who’re at all times ready to stay the ball.“

Lewandowski didn’t see issues moderately so undoubtedly. In an unique interview with The Athletic right through Barca’s pre-season excursion final summer time, he described how he were left pissed off by means of the trade. He knew shedding a winger supposed fewer probabilities to obtain balls and crosses into the field, the most powerful space of his recreation.

There was once a state of affairs to get to the bottom of right here. From the group’s tactical standpoint, they needed to discover a higher are compatible for his or her big name striker. From the participant’s aspect, he had to get better the shape he showcased in 2022.

Instead of an answer being discovered, issues most effective were given worse.

Lewandowski’s 4 targets in 3 suits adopted a six-match dry spell (DAX Images/NurPhoto by means of Getty Images)

“We do not possess the quality of 2010 Barcelona, we just don’t. We need to run our socks off. If we don’t run like animals, we won’t win games. If we can’t be clinical, we need to have soul as a team. This is Barcelona, things need to change.”

After his aspect’s ultimate league event of 2023, Xavi directed his most crucial phrases as Barca supervisor. They had simply controlled to break out with a scrappy 3-2 win in opposition to La Liga’s backside aspect Almeria, in a recreation they have been drawing 1-1 on the wreck.

A couple of days later, it emerged that Lewandowski had are available in for stable complaint from Xavi in a half-time dressing-room cope with that railed in opposition to a loss of depth and aggression amongst his gamers.

By that time, training workforce resources had already began to explain Lewandowski’s goalscoring effectiveness as under what was once anticipated. They additionally concept he had misplaced a few of his power in person duels, and have been involved by means of his worsening link-up play.

Comparing his La Liga stats for this season and final (in line with Fbref.com), Lewandowski has a identical price of balls miscontrolled consistent with recreation (round 2.7) and aerial duels received (53.6 consistent with cent final season; 52.8 consistent with cent this season). But his passing good fortune price has reduced considerably.

For quick passes, there’s a drop from 83.9 consistent with cent final season to 77. 7 consistent with cent this season, whilst medium-range passes fall from 77.1 consistent with cent to 71.4 consistent with cent, and long-range passes from 65.2 consistent with cent to 55.6 consistent with cent.

His anticipated targets (xG) information does now not glance too unhealthy at this level. Over 2022-23, he scored 23 targets from 24.3 xG in La Liga, whilst this season he’s on 12 targets from 14.6 xG.

However, it’s value mentioning that, earlier than his 4 targets from Barca’s final 3 league video games, he was once on 8 targets from 12.1xG and had most effective scored thrice within the pageant since September (with two suits out injured).

Lewandowski has to this point scored 17 occasions and equipped six assists throughout 33 video games in all competitions this season. His match-winning strike in opposition to Celta on Saturday was once his fiftieth for Barca.

And but this time period Xavi has subbed him off 4 occasions with the group drawing and short of targets (in opposition to Real Sociedad, Las Palmas, Real Betis and Villarreal). It could also be transparent that team-mates were suffering to connect to him. Last season he averaged 34.3 touches consistent with league recreation. His reasonable to this point this marketing campaign is 26.7.

Is Lewandowski fully responsible for having reasonably decrease numbers at this level of his occupation? Probably now not — and obviously Xavi’s trade of machine additionally had an impact.

But off the pitch, there were problems too.

Lewandowski and Yamal, pictured in September (Pedro Salado/Quality Sport Images/Getty Images)

Lewandowski is understood to be a decent personality. As quickly as he believes one thing is improper, he’ll say it. This has led to a couple moments of friction.

In February final yr, dressing-room resources stated that once Manchester United knocked Barca out of the Europa League at Old Trafford, Lewandowski had a verbal alternate with Ansu Fati, who he criticised for being too egocentric and now not combining with team-mates when he had higher choices than to shoot.

This season, in November in opposition to Deportivo Alaves, we additionally noticed Lewandowski complaining to 16-year-old Lamine Yamal when the winger made up our minds to shoot as a substitute of crossing.

But this friction does now not divulge a basically unhealthy dating, and nobody within the dressing room has ever doubted Lewandowski’s dedication to the group. When Xavi for my part informed gamers of his determination to step down, an afternoon after he introduced it at a January post-match press convention, Lewandowski confirmed his appreciation for the paintings he had performed in a tricky second for the membership. Xavi was once in particular moved by means of that.

Hours later, Lewandowski confirmed he may just nonetheless be counted as one of the crucial dressing-room leaders by means of setting up a group dinner at his house in Castelldefels, which the entire first-team gamers attended. It was once a team-building task, held with the approval of the membership, to lend a hand focal point minds on the remainder of the season to come back.

So what’s subsequent for Lewandowski at Barcelona?

With Barcelona desiring to promote gamers earlier than fascinated about how one can reshape their squad this summer time (and appoint a brand new supervisor), more than one senior resources on the membership say they’d welcome a profitable be offering for him.

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But, right here — as with a number of others of the ones Barca would preferably like to transport on — the facility is at the participant’s aspect. Under contract till a minimum of 2025, he has no need to go away. He additionally absolutely believes he’s able to overcoming his contemporary dip in shape and returning persistently to his goalscoring easiest.

Lewandowski dreamed for years of becoming a member of Barcelona, and resources just about the participant say they know the way the ambience across the membership can flip in particular sour when issues don’t pass to devise.

In phrases of his contract, he has yet one more yr absolutely assured earlier than an possibility for a fourth that will probably be mechanically caused if he performs over 55 consistent with cent of Barca’s video games right through 2024-25.

All the similar, we will be expecting force may come in the summertime, within the type of media stories suggesting how really helpful his departure may well be for the membership’s funds. Lewandowski’s camp is absolutely conscious about what took place with Frenkie de Jong in 2022, when Barca spent the summer time looking to pressure him out.

But, for the instant, regardless of the doubts amongst a training group this is set to leave, regardless of the additional pressure and scrutiny his place brings, Lewandowski is within the precise position he desires to be. And for him and Barcelona, there will have to be no rapid worry extra urgent than Wednesday’s commute to Naples.

(Top photograph: DAX Images/NurPhoto by means of Getty Images)