Lewandowski: 'Age is just a number'

It was a presentation that will live long in the memory at FC Barcelona. Robert Lewandowski was officially presented at Spotify Camp Nou as a new Barça player. There was joy in the stands and plenty of colour and excitement as well with the man who has won the last two Golden Shoes as Europe's top league goalscorer was accompanied on to the pitch by Barça president Joan Laporta. "It is a historic day, one that makes Barça More than a Club. Thank you for the effort you made to come to Barça," said Laporta to the blaugranes' new number 9. 

Smiles in the stands and on the field 

There were scarves, shirts and Barça flags on the terraces for Lewandowski's presentation with more than 59,000 tickets given out by the Club for the event. The striker from Poland came out on to the pitch in his new shirt as the fans chanted his name in the Spotify Camp Nou. 

Lewandowski had the crowd eating out of his hand and addressed them directly from the pitch: "In the Spotify Camp Nou I make a toast to the fans, let them support us in every game and there be goals and happiness." In front of the fans, many of the wearing this season's Barça shirt, and in front of a 'Welcome Lewandowski banner, the striker from Warsaw received his very own Barça membership before showing off his skills with some of the youngsters from the Barça Academy. 

Following the action in front of the fans at Spotify Camp Nou, Lewandowski moved on to the press room at the Auditori 1899 for a press conference. "It was incredible, I feel very happy and I can't find words to express how I felt out there in front of the fans," said Lewandowski of the experience in the stadium where he will face Pumas UNAM in the Joan Gamper Trophy game on Sunday. 

A striker with many virtues

There were plenty of eulogies for the Polish international during the press conference. "You have a special gift, that of being a centre forward and a serious, charismatic and ambitious professional," said president Laporta of Lewandowski. 

"Age does not matter, it's just a number. I don't feel 33 years old. Physically I feel great and I have been playing at the top level for years now," said Lewandowski himself. 

"My experience can help the rest of the players to perform better. The team has a lot of talent and potential. The future will be brighter - right now everything is going well and we have to show we are in good shape from the start of the season," added the Pole. 

The name of Xavi Hernández, the Barça coach, also came up and Lewandowski described the former blaugrana player as "the right man for the job". 

"After just chatting for a few minutes I knew what kind of idea he had and I understood it and saw it clearly," said Lewandowski, before touching on the excitement of starting a new phase in his footballing career: "The first thing I do when I get up is have breakfast and train. I do what I enjoy but I want to improve and more."  

The new Barça striker focused on sporting matter but president Joan Laporta was happy to talk financial matter as well. "We have our own positive funds and the numbers are clean and the results too because we have made a profit. We have put in a great effort, we have had to sell some assets in a controlled way," explained the president. Laporta went to on focus on the negotiations that brought Lewandowski to Barça: "I want to thank his agent, Mateu Alemany and Jordi Cruyff and make clear that we are safe in the knowledge that we can register Robert." 

The arrival of Lewandowski has awoken great expectation amongst Barça fans, Friday's events made that perfectly clear.