Lewandowski looks back and forward

Poland striker Robert Lewandowski talks to UEFA.com about his past four years at Borussia Dortmund, picking out some highlights, and looks forward to joining FC Bayern München.

Lewandowski arrived at Dortmund in summer 2010 and went on to score 74 goals in 131 Bundesliga games, winning two top-flight titles and the German Cup as well as reaching the 2013 UEFA Champions League final, making him one of the most coveted footballers on the continent. He becomes a Bayern player on 1 July.

UEFA.com: How do you recall your first few months at Borussia? Coming to Germany from the Polish Ekstraklasa, were you confident you would succeed or did you have doubts?

Robert Lewandowski: I came to the Bundesliga [from KKS Lech Poznań] as top scorer in the Ekstraklasa and a Polish champion. I had a very good season behind me, but of course there were some question marks as I moved to a country I did not know. I did not speak German and the Bundesliga is better than the Polish league, so I had doubts. However, my agent did a good job of telling me not to feel inferior and eventually I settled well in Germany.

UEFA.com: What was the most difficult time for you at Dortmund?

Lewandowski: The start and the end. The first three to six months – new club, new country, new language – were hard, but it became easier. I learnt German, which helped me speak with the players, to understand them and to go out with them.

The second part of my last season with BVB was not easy, as everybody knew I was joining Bayern in the summer. I had to put in a big effort to prove that would not affect my performances, because it was extremely important for me to show the fans that I would fight for this club until the very last second of the season. I did it; I finished as [20-goal] top scorer in the Bundesliga for the first time in my career, so I crowned my time at BVB with something really precious.

UEFA.com: In four years you scored 103 goals for BVB in 186 matches. Can you remember the first one?

Lewandowski: I scored in an important match – against Schalke. There is nothing more important to BVB fans than matches against Schalke. We are talking about one of the biggest derbies in Germany.

UEFA.com: What do you remember of scoring four goals against Real Madrid in last season's UEFA Champions League semi-finals?

Lewandowski celebrates against Madrid©AFP/Getty Images

Lewandowski: To score four times against such a footballing giant is really special. It was a magic night for me and for Dortmund, but if we're talking about the Dortmund games I will never forget, I would also mention the German Cup final against Bayern in which I got a hat-trick.

UEFA.com: Borussia fans showed their appreciation when you played your last home match – how was that?

Lewandowski: I am not somebody who cries easily, but that moment was very special. It was very difficult to hold back the tears when I saw all the fans cheering me.

UEFA.com: You are moving to Bayern, but it seems Real also wanted you – did you hesitate between these two?

Lewandowski: Of course you are flattered when a club like Real show interest, but Bayern were top of my list. This is an ideal place for me, the best club to make another big step in my career. I won't need time to adapt as far as the language is concerned, I know the Bundesliga and I am pretty sure it will help me. I believe I can help the club win more trophies.