December 28, (THEWILL) — Robert Lewandowski has confirmed that Barcelona officials asked him to stop scoring goals during the final matches of the 2022/2023 La Liga season. The Poland international verified claims made in Sebastian Staszewski’s book which were previously dismissed as fiction when published in November.
Barcelona had already claimed the league title with four matches remaining when their directors called Lewandowski in for discussions. The striker had scored 23 goals at that point, six clear of his nearest competitor. Club hierarchy were concerned about a transfer clause, which would trigger a €2.5 million bonus payment to Bayern Munich if Lewandowski reached 25 league goals.
Speaking to Bogdan Rymanowski, Lewandowski acknowledged the request whilst expressing understanding for the club’s precarious financial situation. He said he was aware Barcelona were watching every euro and described the bonus as not being a small amount. The striker added that whilst it did not change anything for him personally, the situation stuck in his mind and left him wondering whether to score a goal or not.
Lewandowski failed to find the net in the final two matches against Mallorca and Celta Vigo despite playing all 180 available minutes. Against Mallorca, he took six shots compared to his season average of 4.3 per 90 minutes. However, only one of his eight total shots across both matches hit the target, significantly lower than his previous average of 1.9 on target per 90 minutes.
Statistical analysis suggests his approach changed during those final outings. Lewandowski created four chances for teammates across the two matches, double his usual rate of one per game. He also attempted 34.5 passes per 90 minutes compared to his season average of 24.4, indicating a shift towards playmaking rather than finishing. The forward finished the campaign on 23 La Liga goals, taking the top scorer award whilst Barcelona avoided the additional transfer fee.
Jude Obafemi is a versatile senior Correspondent at THEWILL Newspapers, excelling in sourcing, researching, and delivering sports news stories for both print and digital publications.
