"A recently published biography of Robert Lewandowski has ignited one of the strangest stories in recent Barcelona history. According to Sebastian Staszewski's book Lewandowski. Prawdziwy ("Lewandowski. The Real Deal"), the Polish striker was reportedly asked to stop scoring goals in the last two matches of the 2022-23 La Liga season. Barcelona had already clinched the title, and with Lewandowski sitting at 23 goals, a board member allegedly worried that reaching 25 would trigger a €2.5 million bonus payment to Bayern Munich."
"While the story has captured headlines, a closer look raises several doubts. First, Barcelona had options far simpler than asking a world-class striker to consciously hold back. The club could have rested Lewandowski for one or both games, avoiding any potential embarrassment if he had tried to miss an easy chance on purpose, or financial peril if he ended up scoring anyway."
A biography claims Barcelona asked Robert Lewandowski not to score in the last two matches of the 2022–23 La Liga season to avoid triggering a €2.5 million bonus to Bayern Munich if he reached 25 goals. Lewandowski finished on 23 and secured the Pichichi as top scorer. Questions arise because Barcelona could have rested him rather than request missed chances, and the message reportedly came from an anonymous board member. Lewandowski hit the post in both matches and did not score, leaving uncertainty over whether any request was made or followed, with financial prudence cited as motivation.
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