Bayern Munich star Robert Lewandowski attempts to clarify statements after drawing ire from fans; Brazzo acknowledges conversation

In an interview with Bild, Bayern Munich star Robert Lewandowski attempted to clarify his recent comments, which seemed like he was attempting to force his way out of the club.

“I’ve always tried to do my best for FC Bayern to meet the expectations of the team and the fans. I appreciate the Bayern fans, they have always supported me. If I wasn’t being honest about my situation, I would feel like I wasn’t being fair to the fans,” Lewandowski told Bild journalist Tobi Altschäffl. “I know there are a lot of emotions today, but I hope that the fans will understand me at some point.”

When asked if he was “ungrateful and selfish”, Lewandowski said he was not.

“No, I’m not. I’m not a selfish person. I know what I had at Bayern and appreciate it very much. I also know that I’ve been doing my best not to disappoint the club and the fans for the past eight years. After this time I feel that it is time for a new stage. I respect FC Bayern and its rules. But changes, especially after such a time, are part of the life of the club and the player. I hope that doesn’t come across as selfish. I have a contract, but I also tried to make it clear to the club how I feel,” Lewandowski said. “I informed the club and said publicly that I had made the decision not to renew my contract. So let’s not talk about my future at FC Bayern anymore. I wanted the speculation to be over.”

Lewandowski’s comments on the OnetSport podcast triggered lot of vitriol from fans and the striker wanted to downplay some of those statments.

“This was a long podcast that was recorded last week. It wasn’t an afterthought: we talked for 1.5 hours, including a few minutes about football. That’s what I mean by distorting messages or statements,” Lewandowski said. “I have great respect for FC Bayern for what we have achieved in the past eight years. I appreciate it very much, this club and this city have become a home for me. I’ve been very happy there for years. I met a lot of wonderful people on and off the pitch. But breakups are part of football. If I feel like I need a change mentally, it’s fair to say so. This is my opinion.”

Finally, when asked if he was going to leave the club this summer, Lewandowski said he was unsure.

“I don’t know. I still have a year’s contract, so I asked the club for permission to move. I think it’s the best solution in this situation, especially since the club can still get me a fee. I would get the chance to take on a new challenge at another club for a few more years. That is my wish,” Lewandowski said. “I said from the start that we should look for a solution that would be good for both sides. Bayern is one of the biggest clubs in the world, a dream club for many great players. I think it’s better for Bayern to invest the money they can get for me than to keep me until the end of my contract. I don’t want to force anything, that’s not the point. It’s about finding the best solution.”

Lewandowski has been closely linked to a move to FC Barcelona in recent weeks.

In a separate Bild piece, sporting director Hasan “Brazzo” Salihamidzic acknowledged having a discussion with Lewandowski and talking about the player’s recent comments.

“Robert Lewandowski called me (Tuesday). Among other things, we also talked about his public statements of the past few days. I clearly explained our position on his contract situation to him,” said Salihamidzic.