Robert Lewandowski has won the battle, and he has done so in grand fashion. A few days ago, Barça's striker announced his refusal to keep wearing the Poland jersey as long as Michal Probierz remained the coach. After that and an increasingly tense atmosphere in recent days, Probierz has announced his resignation as national team coach, stepping aside after everything that happened.
Michal Probierz leaves Poland
"Statement from coach Michal Probierz:
I have come to the conclusion that, in the current situation, the best decision for the good of the national team would be my resignation as coach. Holding this position was the fulfillment of my professional dreams and the greatest honor of my life.
I want to thank all my colleagues, the employees of the Polish Football Federation. I could always count on you. Thank you for the trust to the president and the board of the Polish Football Federation. Of course, I want to thank all the footballers I had the pleasure of meeting along this journey. I'll keep my fingers crossed for all of you, because the national team is our common heritage. I also want to thank our wonderful fans. They're with us in good times and bad. Wherever the national team played, their support was heard."
The reason for Robert Lewandowski's anger
The relationship between the two was damaged and sunk, especially after Lewandowski's public statement. The Barcelona striker was hurt that his commitment to Poland was called into question, being the best in the country's history.
It all stems from his absence in Poland's two matches against Moldova and Finland, right after finishing the season with FC Barcelona. At first, it seemed to be an agreement between both parties so he could rest, but criticism began to rain down on Lewandowski. His commitment to the national team was questioned, and Michal Probierz even stripped him of the captaincy.
Probierz explained his reasons publicly, later Robert Lewandowski replied. The Polish Federation tried to mediate between the two, but neither agreed to reach a settlement. Public opinion sided with Barcelona's forward, making it clear that the veteran professional needed time to recover in order to keep his level at its peak.
With the possibility on the table that Lewandowski could miss the next World Cup, Michal Probierz has ultimately decided to step aside. This way, he'll make it easier for him to return to Poland and will put an end to a mess that everyone could've avoided.