Departing Lewandowski not finished yet
Dortmund - As has been their wont all season, Borussia Dortmund served up a cracker in their final home game of the campaign, winning a pulsating encounter 3-2 against 1899 Hoffenheim, and even though he wasn't on the scoresheet, one man in particular felt the emotion of the occasion more than anyone else when the final whistle blew at Signal Iduna Park.
After four years and 101 goals, Robert Lewandowski made his final appearance in front of Dortmund's famously passionate home support, the 25-year-old receiving a standing ovation from the Signal Iduna Park crowd for the last time before he departs the club in the summer to join champions FC Bayern München. After the match, the man who has been such a key part of Borussia winning four trophies in the past three seasons revealed to the media just how much the occasion meant to him, and what he still wants to achieve as his time with Schwarz-Gelben draws slowly to a close.
Question: Robert Lewandowski, in the 90th minute, when your number was shown on the fourth official's board and you left the pitch, what was going through your mind?
Robert Lewandowski: I knew it would be the last time I would walk over to the coach and the bench wearing Borussia Dortmund colours at this ground. Obviously it was a difficult moment, but what I heard from the fans before, during and after game was amazing and I can only say thank you to them. The atmosphere and my emotions are still very intense, even now.
Question: Were you at all nervous before the game because you might not have known how the fans would react?
Lewandowski: No, I knew that when I was on the pitch the fans would be supporting me. I suppose I might have wondered a little about how things would be after the game, but the support they showed me then was just unbelievable. The moments after the final whistle were pretty difficult for me, but also really wonderful. Just incredible.
Question: Did you come close to tears at all?
Lewandowski: I was very touched, definitely. These have been four fantastic years for me at BVB, and they’re not over yet. I've scored a lot of goals and experienced so many great moments here, both in the Champions League and in the Bundesliga. We won the league twice and hopefully we can win the DFB Cup twice as well. My story here isn't over yet.
Question: Jürgen Klopp gave you a passionate embrace at the end of the game. What did he say to you?
Lewandowski: That's staying private between us. I've learned a lot here in Dortmund and I know that I'm a better player now than I was four years ago, but there's still a lot of football to be played. It was my last game in Dortmund but we still have two more matches to play in Berlin.
Question: You had five shots in the first half against Hoffenheim here. Are you frustrated that the goal didn't come, as you are still in the hunt for the top goalscorer's award?
Lewandowski: To score in my last home game for Borussia would have been perfect but after everything I’ve heard from the fans today, that doesn't really matter. I can really only say a huge, huge thank you to the supporters for the send-off they gave me.
Question: Are you saving your last few goals for the Cup final against FC Bayern?
Lewandowski: If we win the game, sure, why not? I'm still a Dortmund player and my focus is on these two games in Berlin. That's the most important thing for me right now.
Question: But you must also be keeping an eye on the goalscoring charts as well...
Lewandowski: I don't want to put myself under any pressure. If I am top scorer at the end of the season, that would obviously be great . But it's harder to do that if you put extra pressure on yourself.
Dietmar Nolte reporting from Signal Iduna Park
Watch Robert Lewandowski bid farewell to the Signal Iduna Park faithful, courtesy of the Bundesliga's official YouTube channel.
