“I'm not sure if I'll see him beforehand” – Julian Nagelsmann makes interesting claim on shaking hands with Lewandowski ahead of Bayern Munich vs Barcelona

Barcelona and Bayern Munich are set to lock horns in what promises to be an epic Champions League clash at the Allianz Arena tomorrow (September 13). Ahead of the encounter, Bayern head coach Julian Nagelsmann has commented on whether he will shake hands with former striker Robert Lewandowski prior to kick-off.

The Polish forward ended his eight-year association with Bayern Munich to seal a €45 million transfer to Barcelona earlier this summer. Tuesday's clash will be the first time Lewandowski will play for another club at the Allianz Arena since doing so with Borrusia Dortmund several years ago.

Asked whether he will shake hands with the striker when they come up against each other, Julian Nagelsmann responded (via SportsMax):

"If I see him before [the game] then I'm certainly going to give him my hand. I'm not sure if I'll see him beforehand, usually, I don't."

Meanwhile, it is worth mentioning that Robert Lewandowski's relationship with Bayern Munich fans has deteriorated following his transfer to Barcelona. Supporters were hurt by the player's decision to quit the club and had mixed reactions to his departure.

Nagelsmann hopes the Bavarian faithful will give their former striker a positive reception tomorrow. He also confirmed that he and the Polish striker had a conversation recently although it wasn't centered around football. The tactician said:

"I'm looking forward to our fans welcoming him back. When a player has been so strong for the team over the years, I think it's important. He was an important part of the Bayern family. We had a personal exchange a couple of weeks back, not regarding football. I am looking forward to seeing him again."

How Barcelona and Bayern Munich have fared in recent meetings

The striker is in hot form with Barcelona

The two clubs faced each other in the Champions League group stage twice last season, with Bayern Munich coming out on top with 3-0 victories in both games. Prior to that, the two sides met in the quarter-finals in 2020, where the Blaugrana recorded one of their worst ever defeats as they lost 8-2.

However, things have changed and this week's clash promises to be a totally different type of encounter. Barcelona have strengthened their squad significantly this summer and are one of the most in-form teams in Europe.

All eyes will be on Lewandowski on Tuesday night to see how he will fare against his former club.