Robert Lewandowski insists he doesn't want to go to war with Bayern Munich.

The striker is pushing to leave Bayern for Barcelona and has been critical of management over the past fortnight.

But speaking to BILD, the 33 year-old insisted: "I've always tried to do my best for Bayern to meet the expectations of the team and the fans.

"I appreciate the Bayern fans, they've always supported me. If I wasn't honest about my situation, I would feel like I wasn't being fair to the fans.

“I am not a selfish person. I know what I had at Bayern and appreciate it very much. I also know that I've been doing my best not to disappoint the club and the fans for the past eight years. After this time I feel that it is time for a new stage.

"I respect FC Bayern and its rules. But changes, especially after such a time, are part of the life of the club and the player. I hope that doesn't come across as selfish. I have a contract, but I also tried to make it clear to the club how I feel."

Lewandowski continued: "I think it's better for Bayern to invest the money you can get for me than to keep me until the end of the contract. I don't want to force anything, that's not the point. It's about finding the best solution.

"Certain statements are often distorted or exaggerated. I want that to end: the emotions have to cool down, I want to speak calmly, not through the media. I know that a conflict makes a lot of headlines. But FC Bayern and I are not enemies."