Robert Lewandowski: Matchday 3's Man of the Matchday sets new Bayern Munich goals record
Robert Lewandowski has set a new Bayern Munich record for goals in consecutive games, breaking the previous best-mark held by the late Gerd Müller.
Lewandowski scored for the 16th straight match - a hat-trick no less - in Bayern's 5-0 drubbing of Hertha Berlin on Bundesliga Matchday 3.
Müller, who passed away on 15 August 2021, aged 75, enjoyed a 15-game scoring run between 1969 and 1970.
"Of course I'm always hungry, but especially physically I feel very good, probably better than three years ago," Lewandowski said from inside the Allianz Arena.
"I'm just focused on my task in every game, I don't worry about records."
Watch: Bayern Munich 5-0 Hertha Berlin - in 60 seconds!
That's just as well because they are fast becoming too many to count.
Lewandowski’s current hot streak dates back to 15 February 2021, when he helped Bayern draw 3-3 with Arminia Bielefeld.
There have been hat-tricks against Borussia Dortmund, VfB Stuttgart and Borussia Mönchengladbach, while his effort on the final day of 2020/21 marked a single-season record 41st Bundesliga goal, eclipsing Müller’s gold standard set back in 1971/72, by one.
With further goals to start the 2021/22 season against Gladbach, Cologne and Hertha, he’s now found the back of the net at least once in 13 Bundesliga appearances in a row - a personal record.
The 33-year-old was also on target in Bayern’s 2020/21 UEFA Champions League last-16 double-header against Lazio, and put a brace past former club Dortmund in the 2021 Supercup.
Want more Bundesliga Action?
"I asked Robert at half-time if he's not yet fit or if he's now at the next level, because he was letting balls through in the penalty area for a better-positioned player," Bayern teammate Thomas Müller quipped after the Hertha rout.
"You don't get anything if you don't get a touch on the ball. We agreed that he's at the next level (laughs). He got fit during the week when we played in the cup. The crazy thing is that he scores another hat-trick 'in passing'.
"There are many very good players, even in the Bundesliga, who need years to score a hat-trick. I've been involved in many goals, but I've scored a hat-trick perhaps just once."
To date, Lewandowski has hit 15 Bundesliga hat-tricks - another number bettered only by the legendary Müller (32).
His latest salvo accounted for his 24th, 25th and 26th strikes during his record-breaking run, and swelled his overall tally in a Bayern shirt to an eye-watering 301 goals in 333 competitive matches. Again, only 'Der Bomber der Nation' has scored more in the history of the record champions (566 goals in 607 appearances).
What's more, Lewandowski netted in his 12th Bundesliga home game in a row, equalling league records set by - you guessed it - Müller (1969/70) and ex-Borussia Mönchengladbach goal machine - and 2012/13 treble-winning Bayern coach - Jupp Heynckes (1972/73).
Watch: Julian Nagelsmann on 'perfect' Lewandowski
"He's incredibly consistent, has a great ability to drop between the lines and gets involved in the game a lot," said Bayern head coach Julian Nagelsmann of Lewandowski following "our best performance of the season".
"He is incredibly dangerous because he can finish with every legal part of his body. He's also a great person. His goalscoring appetite is exceptional."
Related news
Rønnow saves penalty as Union hold Freiburg
The points were shared in a hard-fought stalemate in Berlin as Matchday 10 got under way.
Matchday 10 probable teams
Nuri Şahin has more personnel problems to contend with ahead of Dortmund's trip to Mainz...
Bundesliga 2, Matchday 12 overview
Nuremberg were held to a goalless draw by boss Miroslav Klose's former club Kaiserslautern before faltering Fortuna host promotion rivals Paderborn...