“Robert Lewandowski is in the form of his life" - Bayern Munich interim coach Hansi Flick
Robert Lewandowski goes into Bayern Munich’s UEFA Champions League last-16 first leg with Chelsea "in the form of his life", according to the record champions’ interim coach Hansi Flick.
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Lewandowski, 31, has scored 38 goals in 32 competitive matches for Bayern this season, and struck 10 times in the Champions League group stage alone. Borussia Dortmund’s Erling Haaland is the only other player in the 2019/20 competition on double digits, albeit having played in two games more.
"Robert is in the form of his life, he's in peak condition and full of confidence," Flick told media at his pre-match press conference. "He’s on a real roll, but he's also a team player who tracks back and covers in defence. I don't know how many goals he's scored this season off the top of my head, but he's right up there. We hope that continues against Chelsea."
Lewandowski is, in fact, second to only Haaland in the pan-European scoring charts so far this season, and already has previous in London. Two of his 10 group-stage strikes fell in the 7-2 drubbing of Tottenham Hotspur, while his four-goal salvo in one blistering 16-minute spell against Red Star Belgrade set a new tournament record.
With only six teams - all German and in either Bundesliga or domestic cup competition - having managed to stop the Bayern No.9 from scoring over halfway into 2019/20, Chelsea coach Frank Lampard knows his side have a serious task on their hands.
"His goal-scoring, everything about him from afar; he's just top-class," Lampard warned of Lewandowski. "Having the chance to watch quite a lot of Bayern in the build-up, that shines through. He's a huge threat, he's not the only threat but he's the spearhead. Our levels have to go up."
Watch: Robert Lewandowski under the tactical microscope
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No kidding. Lewandowski will take to the field at Stamford Bridge not only as this season’s leading Bundesliga and joint-top Champions League scorer but the all-time fifth leading marksman in the continental club competition’s history (63 goals). Only Karim Benzema (64), Raul Gonzalez (71), Lionel Messi (114) and Cristiano Ronaldo (128) have hit more.
The former Dortmund frontman - who famously became the first player to rattle off four goals in a Champions League semi-final as BVB defeated Real Madrid 4–1 in their 2012/13 first leg - is also fifth, behind the same quartet, for most tournament goals for one club (46, Bayern).
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