The members vote comes after Lewandowski confirmed a story that Barcelona had asked the former Bayern Munich hitman to not score goals in a money-saving measure at the end of the 2022-23 La Liga season. With the title already sewn up, and Lewandowski on 23 league goals, the experienced striker was requested to refrain from hitting the back of the net in the final weeks of the season. Two more goals would have triggered an additional €2.5m to former club Bayern with Barcelona enduring financial difficulties, senior figures were keen to avoid extra outgoing costs.
During an interview with Polish journalist Bogdan Rymanowski, Lewandowski admitted that the report was correct, acknowledging the request and the broader context behind the ask. "There are things I don’t want to talk about. I respect Barcelona and the people who work there a lot. I was aware of the club’s situation. There were many other situations that needed to be resolved for the good of the club," Lewandowski said.
The striker addressed the logic directly, confirming the motivation was monetary rather than tactical, adding: "In short, it was a bonus, and it is known that at that time Barcelona looked to save every euro. It was no small thing, and for me, nothing changed either.
Lewandowski, though, added the request left a lasting impression, stating: "I have no problem with that, but it stuck in my head and I wondered whether to score a goal or not."