As of 6:06 p.m
“History at Bayern over” – Lewandowski urges farewell
Robert Lewandowski is pushing for an immediate departure from Munich. “My story at FC Bayern is over. I can’t imagine another good cooperation,” said the forward at a press conference of the Polish national team on Monday.
Leon Goretzka starts preparing for the Nations League with the national team. The personnel of Robert Lewandowski drives the players of FC Bayern. Goretzka now takes a clear position on poker for the star striker.
Dhe work week began with an unusual warm-up program. Leon Goretzka took part in a run by Adidas employees in Herzogenaurach on Tuesday morning with his colleagues from the German national soccer team. The campaign was intended to draw attention to ocean pollution.
Jogging, small talk and selfies – then Goretzka turned off with his teammates for the first training session. This week, the selection of national coach Hansi Flick is preparing for the games in the Nations League on the premises of the sponsor of the German Football Association (DFB). On Saturday (8.45 p.m., RTL) the team will play Italy in Bologna. A game against England and Hungary follows. “These are absolute prestige duels,” said Goretzka.
Leon Goretzka is training with the national team in Herzogenaurach for the game in Italy
Source: dpa/Daniel Karmann
The games serve as a location determination. Flick has nominated 26 players for this international trip. With a view to the Winter World Cup in Qatar in about six months, a lot can already be seen from his starting eleven against Italy. Flick wants to use the days in Franconia to have a lot of talks and decisively advance the development of the team.
Most recently he discussed with the individual parts of the team in video conferences, now the national coach finally has all the players around him again. Except for offensive star Marco Reus from Borussia Dortmund, who is not there due to signs of an infection and may arrive in the coming days.
National players live in shared flats
The players live in Herzogenaurach in a kind of flat-sharing community, with four sharing a house. Flick wants to strengthen the team spirit. Training sessions are held in the morning. Between the practice sessions, Goretzka and his colleagues from FC Bayern in particular follow the news in the Robert Lewandowski case.
Goretzka appealed to both sides in the increasingly violent dispute between the record champions and the goalscorer who was pushing for a change. “I think it was an incredible success story for both Bayern and Lewy,” said the 27-year-old midfielder. “And just to pay respect to this story, I would be happy if both sides take out a bit of emotionality and try to find a good solution for everyone involved.”
World footballer Lewandowski had increased the pressure on Monday for a transfer from the Polish national team a year before his contract with Bayern Munich expired on June 30, 2023. “For today, one thing is certain: my history with Bayern is over. After everything that has happened in the last few months, I can’t imagine continued good cooperation,” said the 33-year-old. According to the Polish media, Lewandowski used it to detonate a bomb.
From Lewandowski’s point of view, an immediate transfer is “the best solution for both sides”. The management of FC Bayern insists on the fulfillment of the contract. Lewandowski is apparently drawn to FC Barcelona. The Catalans would have to pay a fee for him this summer. This would have to be at least 40 million euros for Bayern to consider a change.
Unlike Lewandowski, Goretzka has clearly committed to FC Bayern. He extended his contract last year until 2026, under club coach Julian Nagelsmann and under Flick he should play a central role in the coming months. WORLD asked Goretzka: Where is the national team? “Based on the past few years, you can’t say that we’re among the best in the world,” he replied. “But we want to go back there.” The games in the Nations League are a good indicator.
Despite all the appreciation, Flick does not guarantee that Goretzka will be used. In midfield, young star Jamal Musiala is putting pressure on his established club colleagues Goretzka and Joshua Kimmich, both of whom have had a difficult second half of the season.
Goretzka was out injured for a long time, now he feels in great shape again and has full confidence in his body. “Our whole team is of such good quality that it would be fatal for the coach to give someone a starting eleven guarantee,” said Goretzka. “I wouldn’t put the handcuffs on myself either.”
The training in Herzogenaurach is intense. “That’s what Hansi wants to see,” says Goretzka. “That we push ourselves. It is precisely this competitive situation in training that makes us better.” He spoke of “absolute power football” under Flick, which “was a lot of fun for us on the pitch and also for the spectators”. He wants to convey this joy again with his colleagues in the game against European champions Italy.
