Barcelona is exciting 5-3 victory against Real Betis may have belonged to the scorers on the field, but one of the most intriguing storylines played out quietly on the sidelines.
Robert Lewandowski didn’t play a single minute, watching the entire show from the bench as Barca Once again he achieved a spectacular victory under Hansi Flick.
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For a brief moment in the closing stages, it appeared that the Polish striker was finally going to break loose.
Lewandowski was fully prepared to take the field as Barcelona looked to manage the final part of the match.
However, everything changed when Eric Garcia suffered a minor physical problem, forcing Flick to immediately rethink his replacement plans.
The German coach instead chose to introduce Jofre Torrents, suspending Lewandowski’s presence at the last second.
Flick’s gesture towards Lewandowski
What followed on the bench perfectly captured the mood within the team. Flick approached Lewandowski, gave him a light pat on the stomach and informed him that he would remain seated.
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The striker reacted with a smile and the two even shared a joke, highlighting the strong relationship and mutual trust that now exists between player and coach.
There was no frustration, no visible tension – only understanding.
This decision was far from random. Lewandowski had started five consecutive matches before the Betis clash, carrying a heavy physical load.
However, the situation is far from simple. Lewandowski should push for an immediate return against Eintracht Frankfurt, but the scenario suddenly changed thanks to Ferran Torres’ spectacular hat-trick against Betis.
The Spaniard’s explosive performance shook up the attacking hierarchy and gave Flick one of his toughest selections since taking charge.
