MY ACCOUNT
Robert Lewandowski will have to fulfil his contractual obligations and accept Bayern Munich’s decision to keep him amid interest from Barcelona.
That is the message from former Bayern president Uli Hoeness, who also lamented the rulings of the Bundesliga restricting the German top flight from competing in Europe.
Lewandowski has made his intentions to leave Bayern clear, declaring his story with Julian Nagelsmann’s side “over” despite having 12 months left on his contract.
Barcelona are widely regarded to be the striker’s preferred destination.
Despite Bayern’s stance on Lewandowski, Stats Perform understands that the Bundesliga champions have struck a deal with Liverpool to sign Sadio Mane, which might clear the way for the Poland forward to leave.
However, there remains questions to the finances behind a Barca deal for Lewandowski, with Bayern reluctant to sell and the Catalan club battling well-documented financial issues.
Hoeness, who retired as Bayern president in November 2019 after 49 years with the club as player and in management, says Lewandowski can have no complaints over Bayern’s decision should they elect to remain steadfast on their wish to keep him.
“[He has] joined the position of FC Bayern: that is, to exercise the right to have the contract fulfilled if no alternative is found,” Hoeness said in an interview with G14 Plus.
“I assume that Robert will accept it in the end.”
While the transfer speculation continues with Lewandowski, Hoeness also expressed his disappointment with the Bundesliga.
Bayern claimed their record 10th straight title in the 2021-22 campaign, with Borussia Dortmund and RB Leipzig offering little to challenge at the summit.
German sides have won the Champions League just twice in the last 10 years – Bayern doing so in 2013 and 2020 – and Hoeness suggested this is due to the 50+1 ownership rule.
The German Football League (DFL) ruling stipulates clubs will not be allowed to play in the Bundesliga if commercial investors have more than a 49 per cent stake, diminishing the power of potential investors.
“If the Bundesliga – this does not apply to Bayern Munich – does not think about abolishing the 50+1 rule, we will have big problems in being able to keep up internationally in the long term,” Hoeness added.
