As Barcelona touch down in Japan to begin their pre-season under head coach Hansi Flick, Robert Lewandowski has played down the speculations concerning his future at the club.
In an interview with Carrusel Deportivo (via Mundo Deportivo), Lewandowski, 36, who has been instrumental since joining the club in 2022, acknowledged that while his contract is set to expire next summer, his focus remains firmly on the season ahead for now.
“There are many things in my head. For me the important thing is not what happens at the end of the season, but what I can do in the current season. I have peace of mind, let’s look at this season first,” he said.
With 101 goals in just 147 appearances, Lewandowski’s impact at Barça is undeniable. The speculations linking him to a possible move to the Saudi Pro League next summer have added more uncertainty to his future at the Spanish giants.
While Lewandowski didn’t shut the door on continuing with Barcelona, his tone hinted at the possibility that the 2025-2026 campaign could be his final chapter in Catalonia.
He said, “This year is going to be more difficult, because all the teams want to beat us. We are here to prepare well for the season, and we can improve things; we have to take a step forward.”
Despite the uncertainty around his future, Lewandowski remains committed to the collective goal which is winning titles.
“The most important thing is the titles we want to win”, he said. “I can help with my performances, but the important thing is the team’s objective.”
Lewandowski also weighed in on the arrival of Marcus Rashford, Barcelona’s headline signing this summer from Manchester United. The veteran striker praised the Englishman’s versatility and experience.
“He is a player with enormous talent”, the Polish striker said. “I remember we played Manchester United (in 2023) and Marcus was in really good shape. He can help us and he can play in different positions. There are many games, so he needs to be like that.”
Note that FC Barcelona will be in action against Japanese side, Vissel Kobe on Sunday, July 27.
AIFF Denies Guardiola, Xavi India Job Interest, Calls Applications ‘Hoax’
In a bizarre twist to India’s ongoing search for a new national football team manager, the All India Football Federation (AIFF) has revealed that high-profile applications allegedly submitted by Pep Guardiola and Xavi Hernandez were nothing but elaborate hoaxes.
Waza House reports that this development comes just days after a flurry of reports in both Indian and Spanish media suggested that Xavi, who stepped down from his Barcelona role in May, had expressed interest in the India job. Some even cited the country’s technical director, Subrata Paul, as having confirmed Xavi’s intent to lead the Blue Tigers.
But in a statement issued on Saturday, the AIFF debunks the reports.
“AIFF received an email furnishing the applications from Spanish coaches Pep Guardiola and Xavi Hernandez. The authenticity of their applications could not be confirmed, and it has since emerged that the email applications were not genuine,” the statement read.
The federation clarified that the emails were not sent from official representatives of the two football icons and stressed that it had no contact with either coach regarding the job.
The vacancy arose after Spanish coach Manolo Marquez stepped down earlier this month to focus on his role at Indian Super League side FC Goa. Since then, the AIFF says it has received over 170 applications for the position, which remains open.
Xavi has been without a coaching role since parting ways with Barcelona at the end of the 2023/2024 season, while Guardiola is still under contract with Manchester City until June 2027.
India, currently ranked 133rd in the FIFA men’s world rankings, have never qualified for a FIFA World Cup and finished bottom of their group at the 2023 AFC Asian Cup.
Despite the unexpected drama, the AIFF insists it remains committed to finding the right candidate.
Previous coaches of the Indian football national team include Englishman Stephen Constantine and Croatian Igor Štimac.