Robert Lewandowski is not very popular' - Barcelona striker told to leave Hansi Flick's side as 'the best players don't give him the ball'

Tomaszewski insisted that the forward should put an end to his stay at the Catalan giants in favour of a move at a club where he is more popular. The former goalkeeper suggested he should follow the likes of Cristiano Ronaldo and Karim Benzema by moving to the Saudi Pro League.

He told Super Express Sport: "Robert should now close the Barcelona chapter and go to a club in Saudi Arabia, just like the best players in the world - except Messi - have done. Robert is not very popular in the team and the best players do not give him the ball."

It seems a bizarre claim for Tomaszewski to make, given Lewandowski played 34 times in La Liga last season and scored 27 goals. The Pole has started this season strongly too, adding three goals in five games. It is also unclear whether Lewandowski would want to move to a perceived weaker division, when he is currently still performing to a high level at one of the world’s best clubs.

Lewandowski was named as the 17th best player in the world at the Ballon d’Or ceremony, a ranking which Tomaszewski believes was too low. “Robert has made it onto the list of 30 nominees for the tenth time, and that's what counts,” he said. “The journalists decide where he'll end up. I think he should be in the top ten.

“The winner [Ousmane Dembele] was undoubtedly a controversial player, but he won the Champions League with the team, and it would be foolish for someone outside of that league to win this award.”

In his interview with Super Express Sport, Tomaszewski also took aim at Barcelona boss Hansi Flick and claimed the German coach was not doing a good job. He said: “Barcelona has a squad to win the Champions League. I hope they don't extend Flick's contract, because he's not doing a good job. He can't continue. With so much football quality, he should have won everything in Europe. But they lost to Inter, who were then humiliated by PSG in the final.”

It might be difficult to find many who agree with the former Polish shot stopper about Flick, with Barcelona playing some of the most exciting football in Europe and scooping up multiple titles last season. The Blaugrana cantered to the La Liga crown last season, led by a crop of young talent and spearheaded by the veteran Lewandowski.

This season, the Polish forward has formed part of a rotating front three with the likes of Ferran Torres and Marcus Rashford also given chances down the middle of the attack. The strength in depth of Barcelona’s attack has allowed for this rich rotation, but this has not hampered Lewandowski’s output. There is little to suggest that the Pole is an unpopular player within the squad and that he would be keen to move to Saudi Arabia.

Lewandowski could find himself on top of La Liga by the end of the weekend. The Blaugrana could take advantage of Real Madrid’s thrashing by Atletico Madrid and leapfrog their great rivals into top spot. After winning each of their opening games to the league season, Los Blancos were humiliated 5-2 to hand Xabi Alonso his first domestic defeat in charge of the Spanish giants. With victory on Sunday over Real Sociedad, Barcelona can move up to 19 points and one point clear of Madrid in second.

Lewandowski’s contract at Barcelona comes to an end next summer, but there is an option for the club to extend it by another year. Should the striker choose to depart, he will no doubt have a long list of suitors lining up contract offers in an attempt to persuade him to join their club. Saudi clubs will be amongst those options, but even at 37-years-old Lewandowski looks as if he could keep playing at the top of European football for years to come.