Robert Lewandowski’s friend rubbishes Bayern Munich strike rumors

With the Robert Lewandowski situation, there were suggestions that the striker would strike (no pun intended) when he was due back at Sabener Strasse for Bayern Munich’s preseason to help force through a move to Barcelona. He’s due back on July 12th, but his lifelong friend Tomek Zawiślak recently spoke to Bild and said that those rumors are entirely false and that Lewandowski will certainly be back in Munich to begin preseason preparations, whether he still wants to force through a move to Barcelona or not.

“I don’t know where the rumors about a strike are coming from. There was never such a thought. Since Robert said he will not be renewing his contract, there has been a lot of hoax spread to hurt him and build resentment towards him. So there was a lot of hate and serious threats against him online,” Zawiślak told Bild (via @iMiaSanMia on Twitter).

The rumors that Lewandowski was planning to go as far as going on strike during Bayern’s preseason generated a lot of resentment to the player, as his friend eluded to. It essentially poured salt into what was an already opened wound as the majority of Bayern fans struggled to come to terms with the fact that such a superstar wanted to leave the club for a La Liga club that’s clawing their way out of a financial crisis. They have, of course, shown a resurgence since Xavi has taken charge of the club, but it doesn’t help soften the blow of losing Lewandowski to them, if and when that does happen.

“Playing with emotions as a club is part of football, but these days you have to be very careful and not to exceed certain limits. It’s true that no player is bigger than the club, but no club is bigger than a person,” Zawiślak added, touching light on some of the levels of abuse online that Lewandowski was subjected to. His desire to want to leave Bayern for Barcelona has caused a lot of animosity on its own, so the false rumors of a potential strike didn’t make matters any better in that regard.

Photo by Robbie Jay Barratt - AMA/Getty Images

Still, though, there are multiple possibilities left on the table as far as what will happen with the striker. He has made it clear that he does not want to renew his current Bayern contract, which is set to expire next summer, but he has not publicly ruled out staying for another season entirely. That is still technically an option left. “The transfer window is still open, Robert has made it clear he wants to leave and talks are taking place. Different scenarios are still possible. Changing clubs while you still have an ongoing contract is quite normal in football. Bayern also sign players that way,” Zawiślak said, knowing that nothing is officially set in stone yet.