Image source: sports.yahoo.com
Robert Lewandowski has scored his first UEFA Champions League goal of the season for Barcelona, and it has moved him closer to a landmark previously set by Lionel Messi. The Polish striker has now found the net in 16 different editions of the competition, and he is one opponent away from equalling Messi’s Barcelona record for scoring against 40 different teams.
Lewandowski closes on Messi record after ending Champions League drought
Lewandowski finally opened his account in this season’s UEFA Champions League, and the goal carried added significance beyond ending a European drought. The strike has brought the Barcelona forward within touching distance of one of Lionel Messi’s standout records in the competition while wearing the club’s shirt.
The goal also underlined Lewandowski’s longevity at Europe’s top level. He has now scored in 16 different editions of the Champions League, drawing level with Cristiano Ronaldo and his former Bayern Munich teammate Thomas Muller. Only Messi and Karim Benzema sit above him on that list, according to the report.
A separate milestone is also in sight. Mundo Deportivo reported that Messi scored against 40 different teams during his Barcelona career, a club record in the Champions League context. Lewandowski currently sits on 39 after scoring against Slavia Praha, leaving him one step away from drawing level with the Argentine.
The report described Lewandowski’s season as unusual in other ways, with Ferran Torres more frequently sharing the starting striker role and prompting rotation at the top of Barcelona’s attack. Despite that, Lewandowski has scored 11 goals and registered two assists in 23 appearances out of a possible 31 matches so far.
Those totals have kept his output close to what he produced in his first year at Barcelona, a campaign the report said many considered the benchmark for his spell at the club. With discussions around squad planning and continuity increasing, the report added that Lewandowski’s performances are strengthening his case.
