Lewandowski Supports Rodri's Move to Barcelona as Midfield Leader

Robert Lewandowski has thrown his full weight behind Barcelona’s decision to bring Spanish World Cup winner Rodri to Catalonia, backing the midfielder to step straight into the leadership void he left behind.

The Polish striker, now with Chicago Fire after leaving Camp Nou, knows exactly what kind of presence Hansi Flick has lost in the dressing room. That is why, as Lewandowski tells it, Flick pushed hard for Rodri as the man to take on that responsibility.

Flick sees Rodri as far more than a marquee name. For the Barcelona coach, the former Man City lynchpin is the organiser, the reference point, the calm in the chaos that every top side needs at the heart of midfield.

Lewandowski clearly agrees.

Speaking to Radio Marca, he laid out in simple terms why Rodri fits Barcelona’s needs so neatly. The praise was specific, not sentimental.

“He’s a player who knows what the team needs, how to play going forward, but also how to contribute a little more in defence,” Lewandowski said. “He's the kind of experienced player I think this team needs. He’s a player who has been performing at the highest level not just at the World Cup, but for many years now.”

That blend of tactical intelligence and big-stage reliability is exactly what Barcelona have been searching for as they try to turn domestic success into something more enduring in Europe. With Lewandowski gone, they have lost not just goals but a seasoned voice. Rodri, in Lewandowski’s eyes, brings back that authority.

The conversation did not stay on Rodri for long. Lewandowski also used the interview to look back on his own Barcelona chapter, one he describes with clear affection.

After arriving from Bayern Munich in 2022, he delivered across four seasons: three La Liga titles, the Pichichi trophy, and a constant stream of goals that helped drag Barça through tense title races. It was a short spell by club legend standards, but an undeniably decorated one.

“It was a very special four years for me in Barcelona,” he reflected. “But there comes a time when you have to try something different and take a new step, and I’m very happy now.”

That “new step” has taken him far from the familiar rhythms of European football. Chicago, MLS, a different pace of life and a different football culture. For a player who spent his prime years at the very top of the European game, the adjustment is real.

Lewandowski did not pretend otherwise.

“It’s normal [to need time], not only because I’m leaving Europe, but also because I’m moving to the United States,” he admitted, underlining the scale of the change on and off the pitch.

Yet distance has not dulled his interest in what happens back at Camp Nou. While he throws himself into the challenge with Chicago Fire and learns the quirks of MLS, he remains emotionally tied to Flick’s project and the teammates he left behind.

“I’m not a very emotional person, I’m more cold-hearted, but this is a moment when I’ll always be there to support and help FC Barcelona and my former team-mates,” he said. “I’m watching what’s happening now and I’m sure they’re going to win a lot of games.”

Barcelona will gladly take that prediction, especially as Rodri settles into his role as midfield anchor and on-field leader. The club see him as the cornerstone of a side built to sustain success, not just chase it in bursts.

Now the question is simple: with Rodri steering the centre of the pitch and Flick reshaping the team in his image, can Barcelona turn Lewandowski’s confidence into a new era of dominance?