On Saturday, Robert Lewandowski announced that he will be leaving Barcelona at the end of the 2025-26 season. The Polish striker has decided against staying at the Spotify Camp Nou for another 12 months, meaning he will walk away when his contract is up in June.
As expected, Lewandowski’s exit was the main talking point of Barcelona head coach Hansi Flick’s pre-match press conference ahead of Sunday’s match against Real Betis, which will be the veteran number nine’s last at the Spotify Camp Nou. Flick paid tribute to a player he’s worked with over a number of years across Bavaria and Catalonia.
“The conversation went well. All my titles have been with him. For me, it has been a privilege to have him and to work with him. He is an incredible professional. He has always been at the highest level, he has taken care of his body. I will never forget him. He is a role model for young players. I think it’s good for him (to leave), and maybe for the club because that’s how we’ll restructure the team. And yes, we talked beforehand. He announced it in the dressing room. We all know what kind of player he is.”
Flick: It will be difficult to replace Lewandowski
Flick confirmed that Lewandowski will start against Real Betis, while he also discussed signing his replacement during the upcoming summer transfer window.
“Tomorrow he will start because he deserves it. I don’t know what will happen next season. We will look at the market, but the replacement is not yet done. We have time. It will not be easy to find a player of that level (to replace Lewandowski). I have said it before. He’s a great guy, a spectacular professional. We will miss him, but we will manage. We will restructure the team.”
