Lewandowski ready to help Barcelona fulfil 'huge potential' and get back to winning titles

Robert Lewandowski said he is setting his sights on nothing less than success and titles at Barcelona and hopes his experience can help take the club to a new level.

Lewandowski joined Barcelona last week from Bayern Munich in a deal reported to be worth around €50 million, with the prolific Polish striker signing a three-year contract.

The 33-year-old forward takes him with to Barca a wealth of experience in winning major titles and scoring goals on the biggest stages. Across 12 years in Germany - the first four with Borussia Dortmund before joining Bayern - Lewandowski won 10 Bundesliga titles, four German Cups, and the 2020 Champions League.

The Pole's goals were critical to that success: Lewandowski scored 447 goals in 562 games across all competitions for Dortmund and Bayern, while his 312 Bundesliga goals places him second on the all-time list, behind only Gerd Muller's 365.

Lewandowski is now part of a Barcelona squad whose only trophy in the past three years has been one Copa del Rey and finished last season's La Liga campaign 13 points behind rivals Real Madrid. But Barca are investing heavily in improving their squad this summer, and Lewandowski believes his experience can help his teammates achieve great things this season.

"I hope so, yes," he said during a press conference ahead of Barca's pre-season match against Juventus in Dallas, Texas. "In my head it's always to win games and score goals and it doesn't matter who we are playing against or even in a training session.

"In the team I see a lot of things like that; young guys very hungry to show their skills and best performances, so I'm very glad to be here and part of this team. I see huge potential and I hope all together we get better."

Barcelona beat Real Madrid in Las Vegas

Lewandowski is set to form a new-look forward line at Barcelona, which will include fellow new signing Raphinha, signed from Leeds United earlier this month.

The Brazilian winger has already started encouragingly, with goals in each of Barca's two pre-season matches so far, including the winner in the 1-0 win against Real Madrid, and Lewandowski is confident he will quickly strike up an effective partnership with Raphinha and the rest of his teammates.

"Raphinha is a top player with huge quality and I think all of Barcelona's forward players have a great connection from the first training session," he said. "We have some young players with huge potential and I know that football language is easier to understand when you have this quality."

Turning 34 next month, Lewandowski is approaching the latter part of his career and there have been some questions over why Barcelona would offer a long-term contract to a player of his age - even a player that has achieved so much. However, Lewandowski insisted he has plenty more left in the tank.

"My body feels very good and I'm not thinking yet about how many years I can still have at the highest level," he said. "This is only age. Last time I did a test of my body, it's younger than my age so I hope I can play many more successful years."

Barcelona manager Xavi Hernandez said the chance to sign Lewandowski was too good to pass up, and he expects the Poland captain to have a massive influence on his squad, both through his performances and his leadership.

"If you have the opportunity to sign this kind of player - not only a big star but he is humble, professional, a top player in his position - he is helping us a lot," Xavi said. "The team is growing a lot with the signing of Robert Lewandowski so I'm very happy to have him in the squad."

• Remittance charges will be tackled by blockchain

• UAE's monumental and risky Mars Mission to inspire future generations, says minister

• Could the UAE drive India's economy?

• News has a bright future and the UAE is at the heart of it

• Architecture is over - here's cybertecture

• The National announces Future of News journalism competition

• Round up: Experts share their visions of the world to come

Ten tax points to be aware of in 2026

1. Domestic VAT refund amendments: request your refund within five years

If a business does not apply for the refund on time, they lose their credit.

2. E-invoicing in the UAE

Businesses should continue preparing for the implementation of e-invoicing in the UAE, with 2026 a preparation and transition period ahead of phased mandatory adoption.

3. More tax audits

Tax authorities are increasingly using data already available across multiple filings to identify audit risks.

4. More beneficial VAT and excise tax penalty regime

Tax disputes are expected to become more frequent and more structured, with clearer administrative objection and appeal processes. The UAE has adopted a new penalty regime for VAT and excise disputes, which now mirrors the penalty regime for corporate tax.

5. Greater emphasis on statutory audit

There is a greater need for the accuracy of financial statements. The International Financial Reporting Standards standards need to be strictly adhered to and, as a result, the quality of the audits will need to increase.

6. Further transfer pricing enforcement

Transfer pricing enforcement, which refers to the practice of establishing prices for internal transactions between related entities, is expected to broaden in scope. The UAE will shortly open the possibility to negotiate advance pricing agreements, or essentially rulings for transfer pricing purposes.

7. Limited time periods for audits

Recent amendments also introduce a default five-year limitation period for tax audits and assessments, subject to specific statutory exceptions. While the standard audit and assessment period is five years, this may be extended to up to 15 years in cases involving fraud or tax evasion.

8. Pillar 2 implementation

Many multinational groups will begin to feel the practical effect of the Domestic Minimum Top-Up Tax (DMTT), the UAE's implementation of the OECD’s global minimum tax under Pillar 2. While the rules apply for financial years starting on or after January 1, 2025, it is 2026 that marks the transition to an operational phase.

9. Reduced compliance obligations for imported goods and services

Businesses that apply the reverse-charge mechanism for VAT purposes in the UAE may benefit from reduced compliance obligations.

10. Substance and CbC reporting focus

Tax authorities are expected to continue strengthening the enforcement of economic substance and Country-by-Country (CbC) reporting frameworks. In the UAE, these regimes are increasingly being used as risk-assessment tools, providing tax authorities with a comprehensive view of multinational groups’ global footprints and enabling them to assess whether profits are aligned with real economic activity.

Contributed by Thomas Vanhee and Hend Rashwan, Aurifer

While you're here

Johann Chacko: Why Maldives has become a theatre for US-China rivalry

C Uday Bhaskar: What is India's Indo-Pacific strategy?

C Uday Bhaskar: The 'Asian Century' depends on China and India working together

25%20Days%20to%20Aden

%3Cp%3EAuthor%3A%20Michael%20Knights%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3EPages%3A%20256%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3EAvailable%3A%20January%2026%3C%2Fp%3E%0A

While you're here

New prosecution unit for domestic workers 'will encourage victims to come forward'

Domestic workers, far from home, must be protected

India retaliates as US sends diplomat home after indictment

UAE families must now earn Dh25,000 to sponsor a maid

Company Fact Box

Company name/date started: Abwaab Technologies / September 2019

Founders: Hamdi Tabbaa, co-founder and CEO. Hussein Alsarabi, co-founder and CTO

Based: Amman, Jordan

Sector: Education Technology

Size (employees/revenue): Total team size: 65. Full-time employees: 25. Revenue undisclosed

Stage: early-stage startup

Investors: Adam Tech Ventures, Endure Capital, Equitrust, the World Bank-backed Innovative Startups SMEs Fund, a London investment fund, a number of former and current executives from Uber and Netflix, among others.

• Remittance charges will be tackled by blockchain

• UAE's monumental and risky Mars Mission to inspire future generations, says minister

• Could the UAE drive India's economy?

• News has a bright future and the UAE is at the heart of it

• Architecture is over - here's cybertecture

• The National announces Future of News journalism competition

• Round up: Experts share their visions of the world to come

%3Cp%3EThe%20Punishment%20of%20Luxury%3Cbr%3EOMD%3Cbr%3E100%25%20Records%3C%2Fp%3E%0A

Paatal Lok season two

Directors: Avinash Arun, Prosit Roy

Stars: Jaideep Ahlawat, Ishwak Singh, Lc Sekhose, Merenla Imsong

Rating: 4.5/5

Unresolved crisis

Russia and Ukraine have been locked in a bitter conflict since 2014, when Ukraine’s Kremlin-friendly president was ousted, Moscow annexed Crimea and then backed a separatist insurgency in the east.

Fighting between the Russia-backed rebels and Ukrainian forces has killed more than 14,000 people. In 2015, France and Germany helped broker a peace deal, known as the Minsk agreements, that ended large-scale hostilities but failed to bring a political settlement of the conflict.

The Kremlin has repeatedly accused Kiev of sabotaging the deal, and Ukrainian officials in recent weeks said that implementing it in full would hurt Ukraine.

ALRAWABI%20SCHOOL%20FOR%20GIRLS

%3Cp%3ECreator%3A%20Tima%20Shomali%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3EStarring%3A%C2%A0Tara%20Abboud%2C%C2%A0Kira%20Yaghnam%2C%20Tara%20Atalla%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3ERating%3A%204%2F5%3C%2Fp%3E%0A

While you're here

Nasser bin Nasser: Is US-China conflict in West Asia inevitable?

Sholto Byrnes: Time for an uninhibited China to lead Asia

Damien McElroy: BRI has changed the rules of the game

The burning issue

The internal combustion engine is facing a watershed moment – major manufacturer Volvo is to stop producing petroleum-powered vehicles by 2021 and countries in Europe, including the UK, have vowed to ban their sale before 2040. The National takes a look at the story of one of the most successful technologies of the last 100 years and how it has impacted life in the UAE.

Read part four: an affection for classic cars lives on

Read part three: the age of the electric vehicle begins

Read part one: how cars came to the UAE

Key developments

Singapore summit: Trump and Kim launch charm offensive as meetings begin
Donald Trump and Kim Jong-un shake hands ahead of one-on-one discussion
US and North Korean teams sit down for bilateral summit
Kim: “I believe this is a good prelude for peace."
Trump: “We will solve it, we will be successful.”

All times UTC 4

The National in Davos

We are bringing you the inside story from the World Economic Forum's Annual Meeting in Davos, a gathering of hundreds of world leaders, top executives and billionaires.

Pieces of Her

Stars: Toni Collette, Bella Heathcote, David Wenham, Omari Hardwick

Director: Minkie Spiro

Rating:2/5

The burning issue

Read part four: an affection for classic cars lives on

Read part three: the age of the electric vehicle begins

Read part two: how climate change drove the race for an alternative

Living in...

This article is part of a guide on where to live in the UAE. Our reporters will profile some of the country’s most desirable districts, provide an estimate of rental prices and introduce you to some of the residents who call each area home.