New Barcelona signing Robert Lewandowski admitted that he hopes to swiftly move past the dispute which marred his final days at Bayern Munich this summer. The forward enjoyed a spectacular eight-year spell at the Allianz Arena, winning the Bundesliga in every season he spent with Die Roten while also lifting the Champions League in 2020 and establishing himself as one of the deadliest scorers in the game.
But he is now gearing up for a new challenge at Camp Nou, after the two clubs agreed on a €45 million (£38m/$45m) for the 33-year-old Poland international.
In the future, he hopes his relationship with Bayern Munich can be repaired.
What did Lewandowski say about Bayern exit?
"I wanted to play in a different league than the Bundesliga, this decision had been made for me for a long time. But I have to emphasise: It was the most difficult decision of my life. I wanted to live somewhere else again, to discover something new with my family," he told Bild.
"My daughter Klara will start school next year, we had to make a decision. And that decision was that it should be something new. If not now, it would probably never have been possible. It was a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.
"I know that I will be 34 soon. But I feel very strong physically and mentally. Barcelona saw it the same way. I don't know yet what will happen after that, but even 2026 doesn't have to be the end. I want to play at the top level for many more years.
"It has been eight wonderful years here. So I hope that with a little distance we can forget what happened in the past weeks. There were unnecessary things from both sides. The most important thing is what we have achieved together: the titles, the victories."
'A wonderful time'
Lewandowski continued by expressing his gratitude to the Bayern faithful, while offering hope that his relationship with the club can be mended.
"I also want to thank the fans: even in my last week in Munich, when there were a lot of rumours and trouble, they still supported me. I realised that they were behind me, that they understood my decision. I will never forget that. It was a wonderful time here, wonderful moments," he added.
"I know the business, I know what was said and written. A lot was unnecessary, a lot of false rumours. Once again, I especially want to forget the last week. That's why there should be no shadow over my time at FC Bayern.
"I said that both sides did things that were unnecessary. But maybe certain things had to happen so that the transfer was possible in the end. I think that now both sides are satisfied. Bayern gets a lot of money, I get to go to Barcelona. It was a long, difficult road, but I think that in the end everyone can still look each other in the eye."