Diva Lewandowski enrages Bayern Munich legend
Robin Bairner
- Updated: 9 Mar 2022 18:18 GMT
- 3 min read
Robert Lewandowski may have scored a team-leading 42 goals for Bayern Munich this season, but for former midfielder Mario Basler, the Pole isn’t irreplaceable.
Lewandowski hit a hat-trick as Bayern booked their place in the UEFA Champions League quarter-finals with a 7-1 thrashing of Red Bull Salzburg on Tuesday, the 33-year-old showing little sign of slowing down.
The Poland captain’s contract at the Allianz Arena expires in 2023, though, and with Borussia Dortmund’s Erling Haaland, in particular, attracting interest in Bavaria, Basler is surprised Lewandowski hasn’t committed to extend his deal earlier.
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“How much appreciation does he want?” Basler - a two-time Bundesliga winner with Bayern in the 1990s - asked in Sport1's Fantalk. “Those in charge have spoken positively about him throughout, show that they want him to stay, and he earns by far the most money.
“Not even Gerd Muller or Franz Beckenbauer have received as much appreciation as Lewandowski. Since Bayern has existed, nobody has been valued to this extent.”
Lewandowski is the 🐐 pic.twitter.com/lkPoq5OcA0
— Football Transfers (@Transfersdotcom) March 8, 2022
Bayern have let a number of players leave for free in recent seasons, with Thiago Alcantara and David Alaba leaving for Liverpool and Real Madrid respectively. Centre-back Nilklas Süle will also join Dortmund under freedom of contract at the end of the current campaign.
Lewandowski remains one of their most successful transfer arrivals of all time, having joined Bayern from Dortmund on a free in 2014 and scored 336 goals since. But Basler thinks the club will thrive even if no agreement can be reached with their star striker.
Bowing to his every whim gives me a fit
- Mario Basler“Now he has to say on his own: ‘I’m going to sign for two years, after that I’ll stop.’ But bowing to his every whim gives me a fit.
“I think they’re in talks behind the scenes, but Lewandowski alone is not Bayern Munich.”
Unlike Thiago, Alaba et al, Kingsley Coman recently extended his contract with Bayern until June 2027, and talks are underway for a similar deal for Serge Gnabry. Whether Lewandowski follows suit remains to be seen.
