Speaking ahead of the match, Flick was full of praise for the man he also coached at Bayern Munich. The Barcelona boss described Lewandowski as a "true professional and a role model" for the younger players in the squad. The German coach admitted that while the club must now look to the future, replacing a player of such calibre will be an almost impossible task for the scouting department.
"The conversation went well. He spoke with the team and said his goodbyes," said the Barca boss. "It's been a great period. I told him I won every title with him. That's nine titles in total. It's been a privilege to have worked with him; he's a true professional. He's a role model, he takes care of himself, that's why he plays at that level. Now he wants a change, he wants to move. It's good for him and for the club. He's a great person and a great player."
Flick added: "It will not be easy to replace Lewandowski. He was the best striker of the past decade. It won't be easy to replace him at all. We're going to have and wait and see if we sign a player, but it won't be easy."