Lewandowski says Real Madrid have gained strength under Mourinho but remains loyal to Barcelona

Robert Lewandowski says Real Madrid are currently a stronger side after appointing Jose Mourinho and making new signings, although the former Barcelona striker insists his support remains with the Catalan club.

The Chicago Fire forward made the comments in an interview with Spanish newspaper AS, while discussing Barcelona’s prospects ahead of the new season and the UEFA Champions League.

“Real Madrid have become stronger now with the new signings and with Mourinho, but I will always stand by Barcelona,” said the Poland international.

Lewandowski also addressed the reduction in the number of goals scored this summer following his departure, as well as Marcus Rashford’s return to Manchester United and Ferran Torres’ move to Paris Saint-Germain.

“Last season we scored 65 goals, but Barcelona know how to work until the end,” he said.

The striker believes the campaign ahead could develop differently from the previous one, particularly because Barcelona have a strong group of players and have added further quality to their squad.

“This period could be different for the team compared with last season, because it has many high-quality players, as well as new signings,” Lewandowski said.

He described the Champions League as a major ambition for Barcelona, while pointing to the greater experience now available within the squad.

“I think the Champions League represents a dream for Barcelona, but they are going through a period in which players who were very young two or three years ago now have experience. There are eight players who have been world champions. That is something special for them, and also for Spain. In the end, I hope Barcelona try to win and manage to celebrate winning the Champions League,” he added.

Lewandowski considers Barcelona among the leading contenders in Europe, alongside several other clubs, but stressed that a strong start alone would not determine the outcome of the competition.

“Barcelona are one of the favourites to win, along with two or three other teams. In Europe, it does not matter how you play at the beginning of the season; what matters is maintaining your level throughout the rest of the year. I hope that, in the end, we can talk about Barcelona and the number of trophies they have won,” he said.

The interview has also prompted deeper discussion of the subject and other football news on the Kooora forums.

Adapting to life in the United States

Lewandowski has begun a new chapter in Major League Soccer with Chicago Fire and said the presence of a large Polish community in the United States had helped him feel more at home.

“There are a lot of Polish people in the United States, and at every match I see many of them. That is special for me. I feel good; at the beginning you need some time to adapt, not only to the city but also to the country,” he said.

He described the move from Europe to the United States as a significant change, and one more difficult than his previous transfer from Germany to Spain.

“Moving from Europe to the United States is a big step, and it is not like the step I took from Germany to Spain. At the beginning it is more difficult, but my family and I are very happy with the city, the team and my team-mates,” Lewandowski added.

The forward also said he needed more time to train after a demanding run of fixtures without a proper preparation period.

“Now we have time to prepare and work better. We played many matches in a row without a period of preparation, and I need time to train. I need to stop for a little while, and I hope to be in better condition in the coming weeks,” he said.