Barcelona's Shocking Late-Season Request: Lewandowski Told to Stop Scoring?

Background and The Alleged Request

A Spanish sports daily revealed a curious episode involving Robert Lewandowski during the 2022-23 season: Barcelona allegedly asked the Polish striker to stop scoring in the final days of the campaign. Lewandowski, who turned 37 that year, had joined Barcelona from Bayern Munich in the summer of 2022. His contract extends through the current season, with renewal talks still undecided.

The Catalan club reportedly faced financial constraints and contemplated moving on from the veteran forward in favor of a younger striker. Sport, a Catalan newspaper, claimed the request was aimed at preventing a late-season goal surge that could trigger a lucrative Bayern bonus.

Specifically, the clause in the contract with Bayern Munich states that if Lewandowski scores more than 25 La Liga goals in the first season with Barça, Bayern would receive a €2.5 million bonus. Barcelona’s alleged appeal occurred in the context of financial and economic pressures the club was navigating at the time.

The Clause, The Motive, and The Outcome

According to the report, the request arose from concerns about the club’s finances and the desire to avoid triggering the Bayern bonus. The claim includes a transcript of a discussion in which a coach told Lewandowski, in the presence of club president Joan Laporta, “Robert, we want you to stop scoring in the final matches.” Lewandowski reportedly looked surprised, given his long career without such a directive until then, and the league title and the top-scorer award had already been decided.

Ultimately, Lewandowski did not score in the last two matches, finishing with 23 league goals—the top scorer in La Liga that season—while Karim Benzema finished second with 19. The article frames this episode as a reflection of Barcelona’s financial turmoil rather than a sign of an internal shift away from Lewandowski's abilities.

Career Arc and Legacy

Beyond the controversy, the piece recounts Lewandowski’s remarkable career, rooted in Poland before entering major European football. After rising through the Polish system at a club in Poland, he moved to Lech Poznań, then Borussia Dortmund, followed by Bayern Munich, and finally Barcelona in 2022. He has tallied well over 300 club goals, won Bundesliga titles, and lifted the Champions League in 2019-20, becoming one of the standout forwards of his generation.

Internationally, Lewandowski has been the backbone of the Polish national team, becoming its all-time top scorer and a leader under pressure. His adaptability helped him transition to La Liga, where he continued to find the net and add to a trophy-laden career that spans multiple leagues and continents.

Punchline 1: If goals paid rent, Lewandowski would own the league by now. Punchline 2: Barcelona’s finances might need a calculator, but Lewandowski’s goals always came with a built-in tax—on the scoreboard.