Lewandowski: 'Every corner you turn, you see how big this club is'

The message came through loud and clear when Robert Lewandowski said "We have to have a winning mentality" during interviews with the Catalan news outlets Sport, Mundo Deportivo and L'Esportiu. The Polish forward discussed a range of topics, taking stock of his first few months at the Club, the football so far, his personal state of play, and his hopes for 2023. Here are a few quotes from his interviews.

His first few months at the Club

“Of course I knew that Barça was a huge club”.

“Every corner you turn, you see how big the Club is”.

“It is a huge challenge for me and I wanted to be part of this new project as well”.

“When you walk out at Camp Nou, you may be a bit tired, but I get extra power when I see the stadium, I see the fans, and that means a lot to me”.

The football so far

“The first three, almost four months in LaLiga were very good, and we are in first place. We know that the first few games in January will be important for us”.

“It was only in the Champions League when we didn't play as we wanted, going out in the group stage”.

“Every small mistake can mean you lose the game. It was bad luck that we got so many injuries and couldn't compete in the Champions League”.

“We know we can progress more and think about how to play much better”.

Regarding his three match ban, he stated "I didn't do this towards the referee, it was to the coach, Xavi. I don't feel it is that bad, so I don't understand why it is three games, I don't deserve a three match ban".

His personal state of play

“I have been living with pressure for years... it's nothing new”.

“I don't feel older or more tired than my teammates”.

“After being away from the city at the World Cup, I feel like I am returning home”.

Regarding the captaincy, he said "I don't think about this. My focus is on this part of the season", before continuing "what's important is to be the person on the pitch who can change the game, as well as helping young players to become their very best”.

Regarding his wife and her role, he stated that "She has supported me for many years. It's important for both us that I have fun and that I should remain at the top if I want to play football. It's important to understand that it's a challenge for her too as she has to find new things". 

The challenges to come

“The Super Cup is only two games, I hope. The semifinal and the final. It could be the first trophy of the year and the first for me in Barça”.

Regarding the Europa League, he said "If you are playing there, you also want to win it of course. The first game will be against Manchester United and that will be a very tough game for us, and there is a long way to go, but you first have to think about beating Manchester United, what happens later comes later".

Expectations for 2023 

“My wish is that all Barça fans will be proud of this team”.

“Winning the Champions League with Barça would be a dream come true, but winning LaLiga is also our goal”.

“I hope that next year will be much better for us and I hope we also win titles as well”.