Lewandowski: Poland boss 'betrayed my trust'

Poland's grounds goalscorer Robert Lewandowski has said helium feels his spot was "betrayed" by caput manager Michał Probierz and that it volition beryllium hard to hide the events which led to him stepping distant from planetary football this week.

Lewandowski, 36, made the astonishment announcement connected Sunday that helium would not play for Poland for arsenic agelong arsenic Probierz remains successful charge.

The determination came aft Lewandowski was stripped of the captaincy, though the Barcelona striker said it was the mode the contented was handled which wounded most.

"I got a astonishment telephone from Probierz with the accusation that helium had decided to instrumentality distant the armband," Lewandowski said successful an interrogation with SportoweFakty connected Monday.

"I was not prepared for it astatine all, I was putting my children to bed. The speech lasted a fewer minutes. I didn't adjacent person clip to archer my household what had happened, due to the fact that a fewer moments aboriginal it appeared online.

"I've been wearing the armband for 11 years and playing for the nationalist squad for 17. It seemed to maine that specified matters should beryllium handled differently.

"Everything was communicated implicit the phone. It truly shouldn't beryllium similar this. The manager betrayed my trust.

"I've ever fixed everything to the nationalist team, it's ever been the astir important happening to me, but I'm precise wounded by what happened."

Lewandowski's announcement followed days of disapproval successful the Polish media pursuing his determination not to marque himself disposable for games against Moldova and Finland this period owed to "physical and intelligence tiredness" aft a agelong play with Barça and a caller hamstring injury.

As a result, helium was replaced by Piotr Zieliński arsenic skipper connected Sunday, though helium said everything had been agreed with Probierz and questioned however definite accusation made it into the nationalist domain.

"It's not adjacent astir the determination regarding the armband, but the mode it was communicated to me," Lewandowski added.

"I truly don't attraction astir the armband itself. I judge successful Zieliński and I'm keeping my fingers crossed for him.

"I person the content that the manager caved successful to the media pressure. He broke agreements we had and that's wherefore I'm amazed by his attitude.

"The determination that I wouldn't travel to the grooming campy was made unneurotic with the coach. I called him to inquire what helium thought astir maine getting immoderate rest. He said that helium supported it and that helium was adjacent reasoning astir calling maine astir it."

Lewandowski, who has 1 much twelvemonth to tally connected his Barça contract, said helium whitethorn not person stepped distant from the nationalist squad if Probierz had dealt with the concern differently, but feels it volition beryllium hard to mend bridges now.

"In football, spot is simply a precise important factor," helium said. "If you privation to beryllium successful, you person to propulsion successful the aforesaid direction.

"Sometimes you tin disagree with idiosyncratic and that is normal. However, things person happened that volition beryllium hard to forget."

Poland look Finland connected Tuesday successful a World Cup qualifier with the accidental to widen their grounds to 3 wins from 3 arsenic they look to publication their spot successful North America adjacent summer.

Lewandowski -- who has won much caps (158) and scored much goals (85) than anyone other successful the past of the Polish nationalist squad -- is successful information of missing the tourney if thing changes before.

"I privation to beryllium down and deliberation astir it each calmly," helium said erstwhile asked if helium volition play for Poland again.

"I request to drawback my breath. Then I volition beryllium capable to accidental much astir my thoughts and what's next. Today determination is regret and anger.

"I person ever cared a batch astir the nationalist team. Nothing has changed successful that respect."

Probierz has been successful complaint of the squad since 2023, erstwhile helium replaced predecessor Fernando Santos aft impressing during a abbreviated stint successful complaint of the country's under-21 team.

He led Poland to Euro 2024 past summer, wherever they exited the contention successful the radical signifier aft failing to triumph a game.

The Poland brag reflected connected his determination successful a quality league connected Monday.

"I had a full time to bespeak and marque a decision. After this analysis, I decided to alteration captain," Probierz said. He acknowledged that "the clip and spot successful which specified a determination is made are ever precise difficult."

"Lewandowski is an outstanding player, but I thought it was a bully clip to alteration captain."

Asked astir Lewandowski's refusal to beryllium called up to immoderate further planetary matches portion the manager is successful charge, Probierz said: "Robert's effect was that the captain's armband meant thing and that small would alteration for the team."

"There are nary atrocious feelings oregon grudges. It's astir the bully of the nationalist team."

Lewandowski's successor arsenic captain, Zieliński, was reluctant to springiness his thoughts connected the Barcelona forward's decision.

[Lewandowski] is an outstanding footballer, there's thing to sermon astir it," helium said.

"The manager made the decision, I respect it, I judge it with pride.

Zieliński added that helium is unfastened to speaking with Lewandowski, but "if that speech has to happen, it volition beryllium aft tomorrow's game."