Report: Zahavi and Rummenigge meet for “Lewandowski Summit”

Now that the transfer rumors on Robert Lewandowski have subsided and all sides involved in the “will he or won’t he” fracas have decided the Polish Hitman’s immediate future is best spent in Bavaria, Bayer Munich CEO Karl-Heinz Rummenigge and Lewandowski’s agent, Pini Zahavi, held a meeting according to information obtained by Sport Bild:

According to Sport Bild information, a secret meeting took place last week at Säbener Strasse between Lewandowski|s agent Pinhas “Pini” Zahavi and Karl-Heinz Rummenigge. Zahavi had long been on a collision course with the Bayern bosses and tried to force a change for his client in late May. Uli Hoeness responded by publicly refusing to give Zahavi an appointment before the end of the transfer window (August 31): “I told him that I didn|t have time for him until September 2 at 2:30pm.“

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The details of the meeting remain unknown, but it can be assumed that at least part of the talks revolved around getting both sides in alignment to ensure that Lewandowski feels supported and appreciated.

The call for a meeting stems from an interview that the Polish international gave Sport Bild where Lewandowski stated that he didn’t feel any support from Bayern’s leadership:

In April and May, almost everyone took a shot at me. And I didn’t feel protected at all by the club; I felt alone in that situation. I didn’t score in two or three important games and suddenly everyone was saying, “Fire away at Lewandowski!” I did not see anyone who stood behind me at the time. None of the bosses defended me either.

Rummenigge, in particular, took exception to Lewandowski’s feeling that club has not given him support and made his own statement to Sport Bild:

I’m quite astonished by this statement. I came to him one time, in March or April, when there was criticism after the Champions League games. I said, I think the discussion is ridiculous. I won’t debate about a striker who scores thirty goals every year.

Lewandowski has six goals and one assist across all competitions so far this season and has been an overpowering presence when working with the likes of Thomas Muller and Leon Goretzka. If Lewandowski is still feeling underappreciated, it is not showing with his performance on the pitch.

BFW Analysis

Lewandowski has been extremely productive thus far and actually looks like he is enjoying himself on the field. Last season, Lewandowski often looked irritable, perhaps from the pressure he was placing on himself to perform. Now, however, the supremely talented striker appears to have a different demeanor and attitude.

Lewandowski is already confident in his teammates’ appreciate and support for him; perhaps this Zahavi-Rummenigge summit will help convince him that he also has the backing of the club’s outspoken and ubiquitous club leadership.