Robert Lewandowski wants to break the ice with a few words of Catalan - but he no longer has to. At the official presentation date, the fans of FC Barcelona cheer frenetically on the new signing. Hopes are high that he will fill the void left by Messi.
World footballer Robert Lewandowski has been officially introduced to his new dream club, FC Barcelona. "Bon dia a tothom", (Good morning everyone), he greeted in Catalan in front of almost 60,000 fans at the Camp Nou stadium in Barcelona in the scorching heat. "It wasn't easy, but now I'm here," the 33-year-old ex-Bayern star continued in English, concluding with "I'm very proud to be a Barça player now. Muchas gracias".
In the blue and red jersey of the Catalans with the new shirt number 9, the Pole happily kicked a round with little boys and girls while the fans chanted "Lewandowski, Lewandowski". Club boss Joan Laporta shouted: "Long live Barça! Welcome Lewandowski!"
The Catalans have high hopes for the goalscorer after exactly a year ago Lionel Messi left the club after 21 years and joined Paris Saint-Germain. Lewandowski was released by FC Bayern Munich in mid-July after weeks of back and forth. Barcelona paid 45 million euros for the Polish international, whose contract in Munich had one year left.
Lewandowski had already mastered his Barça debut on the lawn in July in the USA. The Catalans beat their arch-rivals Real Madrid 1-0 in Paradise in Las Vegas. Lewandowski didn't score, but coach Xavi Hernández praised him enthusiastically afterwards. "Robert is a world star. A world star who came to us with incredible humility."
