Lewandowski Backs Rodri as Barcelona's Key Leader
Robert Lewandowski has thrown his full weight behind Barcelona’s move for Rodri, branding the Spanish World Cup winner exactly the kind of leader the club need in the post-Lewandowski era.
The Polish striker, now with Chicago Fire after leaving Camp Nou, left more than just goals behind. He left a vacuum in the dressing room. Hansi Flick moved quickly to address it, pinpointing Rodri as the man to carry that responsibility at the heart of Barça’s midfield.
Speaking to Radio Marca, Lewandowski laid out why he believes his former club have got this one right. He didn’t talk about marketing or reputation. He talked about football.
“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, underlining Rodri’s all-court game. “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.”
For Flick, that blend of tactical intelligence and consistency was non-negotiable. With a young core still maturing, Barcelona needed a reference point in the middle of the pitch, someone who understands tempo, space and pressure on the biggest stages. Rodri fits that profile as neatly as anyone in world football.
Lewandowski’s endorsement carries weight in Catalonia. He lived that pressure. He carried that responsibility.
The 36-year-old also used the interview to look back on his own Barcelona chapter. After arriving from Bayern Munich in 2022, he became the spearhead of a side that reasserted itself in Spain. Across four seasons, he collected three La Liga titles and a Pichichi trophy, ticking off the personal and collective milestones he came for before deciding it was time to move on.
“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 Europe’s familiar rhythms. Chicago, MLS, a new country, a new culture. Lewandowski didn’t pretend the transition is seamless.
“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, acknowledging the scale of the change as he settles into life and football in Illinois.
The competitive fire remains, but so does the bond with Barcelona. While he throws himself into the demands of MLS, Lewandowski made it clear he will keep a close eye on Flick’s project and on how Rodri reshapes the team’s spine.
“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. Now they need Rodri to justify every word, impose himself on Flick’s XI and turn that dressing-room void into a new era of authority in the centre of the pitch.
