FC Bayern Munich: Müller’s wish: Lewandowski as a congratulator

FC Bayern Munich
Müller’s wish: Lewandowski as a congratulator

Thomas Müller was in a good mood again and had a joke ready when he saw Robert Lewandowski again.

“For the past ten days, Sadio (Mané) has always joked with me that I shouldn’t accidentally play a pass to Lewy,” said Müller, causing a few laughs in the plenum when he spoke about the sparkling champions in the Allianz Arena -League test of strength of FC Bayern Munich with FC Barcelona and his longtime football buddy Lewy.

Bayern feel ready for a big night on Europe’s stage, and three annoying league draws don’t change that. “There is this effect that, even as a professional, you see big games in the Bundesliga and Champions League as a bigger highlight. There’s an extra incentive to bring the extra horsepower onto the road,” said Müller, who after the second :2 at the weekend against Stuttgart was really “sour” for the first time this season.

Müller’s birthday party with over 70,000 guests

Müller turns 33 on Tuesday – and his wish is clear. He doesn’t want his birthday party in the evening (9 p.m./Amazon Prime Video) with over 70,000 guests in the stadium to be spoiled by “Mr. Lewangoalski”, as he likes to call the world footballer. Barça-Schreck Müller (eight goals in seven duels) intended this role for Lewandowski: that of the well-wisher – and not that of the party crasher.

“It will be a while before this outstanding striker is over,” said Müller about Lewandowski’s eight-year spell in Munich. The game is also an important duel for Bayern’s new top striker Mané, who should make Lewandowski forget. “Sadio is missing such a can opener,” said coach Julian Nagelsmann about the 30 million import from Liverpool, who just failed to score after a dream start.

Now Lewandowski is coming back to the arena – and has to be stopped. Müller knows how it’s done – at least in theory: “When is a top striker dangerous? When he gets the ball in and around the penalty area.” Coach Julian Nagelsmann revealed exactly how this should be prevented: “We have to prevent a lot of passes and crosses towards him. Then even the most prolific player can’t score.”

Sabitzer back in the starting XI

Nagelsmann was still pondering whether he would deploy Lewy connoisseur Dayot Upamecano or the new defense chief Matthijs de Ligt in the center alongside Lucas Hernández. In midfield he has already established himself: Marcel Sabitzer starts next to Joshua Kimmich.

Nagelsmann expects his team, which is currently very changeable, to “take a good position against a top team in Europe that has upgraded and wants to attack”. Bayern were recently Barça’s feared opponents: 8: 2, 3: 0, 3: 0 were the fresh humiliations for the proud Catalans. Nagelsmann conceded this statistic: “They have a completely different spirit. You can erase the impressions of the last two, three, four duels against Barcelona from your hard drive.”

When Lewandowski arrived at the team hotel in the English Garden around midday with his new teammates around national goalkeeper Marc-André ter Stegen, he briefly waved to a few waiting fans. How will he be received in the sold-out arena? “I’m happy when our fans welcome him well. He was an important part of the Bayern family,” said Nagelsmann. Lewandowski won everything in Munich, he rose to become a world footballer as a Bayern professional.

With the forced move to Barcelona this summer, the unapproachable world-class player has also lost a lot of sympathy, regardless of the 45 million euro fee that was paid for him.

Lewandowski also hits the target in Barcelona

The 34-year-old certainly does not want to throttle his current goal production against his ex-club. In the Barcelona jersey, Lewy just continues where he left off in Munich: he scores on the assembly line. There are six goals after five league games in Spain, there were three in the 5-1 win against Viktoria Pilsen at the start of the premier class. His coach Xavi began to sing his praises: “I wouldn’t trade Lewandowski for any player in the world. He infects us all with his winning mentality,” said Barcelona icon Xavi.

Lewandowski has also annoyed Bayern as an opponent – during his time in Dortmund: in Borussia’s triumphant 5: 2 in the DFB Cup final in 2012, Lewandowski scored three goals against Manuel Neuer, who remarked before the reunion: “We all know Den Lewy from training. We know what skills he has. But he also knows that it’s not easy to play against us.”

dpa