Flick: 'Lewandowski deserves a big farewell'
Sunday’s Barça v Betis clash will carry extra emotion. Not only is it the final game of the season at Spotify Camp Nou, it will also mark Robert Lewandowski’s farewell to the Barça fans as a player.
The striker himself announced the news just minutes before Hansi Flick’s pre-match press conference ahead of the penultimate Liga fixture. “Lewandowski spoke to the squad and said his goodbyes. It’s been a great chapter for him and he made that very clear. For me, it’s been a privilege to work with him because he’s a true professional,” said the Barça coach.
“He’s a role model, which is why he’s still performing at this level. Now he wants a new challenge and we respect that. He’s a great person, a great player and a fantastic example for the younger players.”
Flick also confirmed that Lewandowski will start against Betis: “At Spotify Camp Nou, in front of our fans, he deserves a great farewell.”
The German coach once again praised the Polish striker’s mentality and commitment: “He’s always given everything. Watching the way he works is incredible. He’s always been there in both the good moments and the difficult ones. His mentality has always been top class.”
Flick admitted replacing him will not be easy: “He’s scored so many goals for us. We’ll miss him a lot. Now it’s up to us to find a way to replace him in the future.”
Seeking perfection
Barça also have another target in mind against Betis: ending the season with 19 wins from 19 home league matches. Flick is fully aware of the opportunity.
“It’s a great chance for us and we want to win every home game. It would be a reward for a fantastic, consistent team full of quality players. It won’t be easy, but tomorrow we want to win.”
The Barça coach also confirmed that Frenkie de Jong will miss the game after feeling unwell, while Marcus Rashford remains a doubt. He will not start, but could still make the squad and feature for a few minutes. Andreas Christensen will also begin on the bench, although Flick revealed that “the plan is for him to play a few minutes.”