Lewandowski reveals what surprised him most about Barcelona debut
Karan Tejwani
- 15 Aug 2022 05:00 CDT
- 3 min read
Barcelona began their season with a complicated 0-0 draw at home to Rayo Vallecano, as they wish to challenge for the La Liga title this campaign.
The season didn’t begin as expected, and it’s taken one of their new signings by surprise, with Robert Lewandowski not expecting the level he was playing.
More than that, the new signing has been surprised by the level of physical preparation within the club, as he’s been exhausted by the levels the players reach in training.
Barcelona haven’t had the best reputation for fitness in recent years, and that’s been evident in European matches in recent seasons.
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However, things are changing under Xavi, with players requiring discipline and the highest level of fitness if they wish to be involved with the first-team.
Lewandowski joined Barcelona from Bayern Munich – a club renowned for keeping up their levels of fitness, which has contributed to their success in recent times.
However, even he confessed that he struggled with the changes, and that’s a positive reflection of what Xavi has been trying to implement since returning to the club last November.
"I'm more tired than I expected,” he reportedly told his close colleagues after returning from the club’s pre-season tour of the United States.
Yesterday, Lewandowski failed to score in the league opening match for the first time in the past 8 seasons. pic.twitter.com/Clx0VXu31I
— Barça Universal (@BarcaUniversal) August 14, 2022
It was noted under previous managers that the club didn’t do enough to compete with Europe’s best – the hammering at the hands of Bayern Munich was one example of the differences.
Lewandowski’s own fitness record is quite good, so for him to be appreciative of the work at Barcelona is a testament to the changes implement over the last few months.
Maintaining that is important as the Catalans look to compete on all fronts this season, following a trophyless 2021/22 campaign and heavy investments over the summer.
The club signed five players over the transfer window, and may not be done just yet as they target Chelsea’s Marcos Alonso, Manchester City’s Bernardo Silva and possibly another right-back.
