Lewandowski has scored 344 goals in 374 appearances for Bayern Munich, the second-highest scorer in the club's history after Gerd Muller
Bayern Munich is known to be moving as quickly as possible in the players' transfer market to strengthen their ranks, but this summer it was different.
Robert Lewandowski, who played eight years for the club, has been locked in a public battle with Bayern Munich's management and managers, trying to force the club to give up its services.
After weeks of denying any intention to sell the Polish striker, the giant German club gave the green light for Lewandowski's move to Barcelona.
The club's reluctance to abandon Lewandowski seemed logical and justified, given that the Polish striker had been a decisive player for the team for an extended period of time. The departure of a dangerous goalscorer such as Lewandowski would significantly reduce the Bundesliga champion's attacking power until Bayern Munich played their first competitive game of the new season.
Bayern Munich took on Leipzig in their domestic Super Cup match last July. Although Leipzig is theoretically one of the strongest teams in the Bundesliga, Bayern Munich completely manipulated him in the first half of the game at home and in the middle of their fans, winning him a clean treble and playing in a new way.
Without Lewandowski, it became difficult for competitors to predict how the team would play, as manager Julian Nagelsmann returned to relying on fast football, which made his name as a senior manager when he took over the technical leadership of Hoffenheim.
Engelsman relied on 4.2.2.2, abandoning the idea of focusing on one outright forward in the front line. This method allowed the team to play vertical passes between four lines: center-back, centerpiece, attacking midfield, and offensive line.
Bayern Munich begins their Champions League campaign by facing Inter Milan on Wednesday. Bayern Munich is currently third in the Bundesliga table, but can the team still continue among the elite clubs in Lewandowski's absence?