Tunnel cam footage has captured the moment Robert Lewandowski appeared to snub an embrace with former sidekick Thomas Muller.
Just weeks after Lewandowski swapped Bayern Munich for Barcelona, the Champions League conspired that he would return to the Allianz. During eight record breaking years in Bavaria, the Pole scored 344 times, winning every major honour available to him along the way.
But after the 34-year-old made it clear he wanted a new challenge, he was finally allowed to join the LaLiga giants, signing a four-year contract at the Camp Nou. And he’s got off to a hot start for the Blaugrana, scoring six times in his first five league matches.
He also scored a stunning hat-trick in Barca’s European opener, but was blunted against his former side as the German champions ran out 2-0 winners on Tuesday night. Lewandowski was given a warm response from Bayern fans, but he enjoyed a difficult evening back in Munich.
And new images have now shown that the emotionally charged evening got off to somewhat of an awkward start after Lewandowski ignored Muller’s attempted handshake. The Poland international had already warmly greeted the likes of Jamal Musiala and his replacement Sadio Mane, but failed to shake hands with Muller.
The German had already admitted that the occasion would be an unusual one for him, with Mane joking that he was not to pass to his old team-mate, who he won eight Bundesliga crowns, three German Cups and the Champions League playing alongside.
"Sadio has been joking, telling me not to make a mistake and pass the ball to Lewandowski during the game. We have to play our game tomorrow and not focus too much on Lewy,” he explained before kick-off.
Speaking about his on-field relationship with the now-Barca striker, Muller added: "Our connection on the pitch grew over time. But now we have a lot of versatile players up front and we don't have a single reference. Opponents don't know who the regular striker is and we have to make it work."
He was then asked to compare Lewandowski with Ballon d’Or frontrunner Karim Benzema, picking out his former colleague despite the Real Madrid striker’s heroics. But those compliments looked like they had counted for nought in a frosty looking reunion between the pair.
The two did shake hands on the pitch, although Mulller didn't appear his usual jovial self, but once things kicked off the Bayern striker would have the last laugh, as goals from Lucas Hernandez and Leroy Sane scored to put Bayern in control of Group C. Lewandowski meanwhile endured a frustrating evening, passing up a number of chances in a rare off-night for the prolific marksman.
Lewandowski was quick to leave the stadium after the defeat and his only words to report were - "it wasn’t that easy.” Fellow summer arrival Jules Kounde tipped the striker to respond after an unusually profligate showing.
He said: "Next time, Lewandowski will score the chances he missed today. We competed very well. It's about details. What we lacked are goals. We got a little lost in the corner, and conceded a second goal shortly after."
