Bayern ready to support returning Lewandowski in pursuit of Muller record

Bayern Munich will try to help Robert Lewandowski make Bundesliga history but securing the title is the top priority, says Hansi Flick.

Lewandowski returned to full training this week after suffering knee ligament damage while away on international duty with Poland last month.

The striker missed both legs of Bayern’s Champions League quarter-final against Paris Saint-Germain as the defending champions were knocked out on away goals, while an extended absence hampered his chances of surpassing Gerd Muller’s record tally of 40 league goals, achieved back in the 1971-72 season.

Sitting on 35 with just four games remaining, the 32-year-old is set to make his comeback when Flick’s table-topping side visit Mainz on Saturday.

A win on the road will secure a ninth successive league crown and while Lewandowski is also so close to achieving personal glory, the team still comes first for Flick.

“I think we all agree that’s his major goal,” the Bayern boss told a news conference on Friday.

“He’s going to be part of the squad, Leon Goretzka is going to be part of the squad, Serge Gnabry is probably going to be part of the squad. The squad is slowly but surely filling up again – we are returning to normal, which is good of course.

“It’s important for us to win the championship – we want to do that as quickly as possible.”

 #Flick on the personnel: “@lewy_official and @leongoretzka_ will both make the squad. We’ll have to see how @marcroca21 and @SergeGnabry are in training today. The squad is filling up, which is good.”#MiaSanMia #M05FCB pic.twitter.com/UFL1VjL8hM

— FC Bayern English (@FCBayernEN) April 23, 2021

On Lewandowski’s impending return, he added: “Don’t forget that he was out for four weeks.

“He’s in very good shape, he showed that in training, but we have to wait and see how he handles the training sessions and the comeback attempt, how his body reacts.

“Of course we will all try to support him, but first of all our focus and priority is the success of the team and the club.”

Lewandowski was badly missed as Bayern scored just three goals from 45 shots and eight ‘big chances’ against PSG. In the 3-2 home defeat in the first leg, the German club’s tally of 31 attempts were worth 3.8 expected goals (xG).

Out of Europe, the Bundesliga is the solitary focus for Flick and his squad – but the outgoing head coach expects in-form Mainz to make it difficult to get over the line.

“It’s definitely a very deserved championship,” he said. “We hope we can win it in Mainz, but we know that they are in really good shape, unbeaten in six games – four wins and two draws – and against some teams who are at the top as well.

“They are a team who are aggressive in defence and very compact. When they win possession, they transition very quickly. These are the things we have to be wary of.”

Bayern fought back to record a 5-2 win against Mainz in the reverse fixture, making it the first time since 1988 – and just the fourth occasion overall – that the Bavarians had come back to triumph after being at least two goals down at half-time in the league.