Lewandowski at his best as Barcelona prepare to visit one of his former stomping grounds
Robert Lewandowski's resurgence has been instrumental in Barcelona's impressive beginning under Hansi Flick, as the forward prepares to return to Dortmund to compete against Borussia in the Champions League on Wednesday.
The Polish striker has scored 23 goals in 21 matches across all competitions this season, propelling Barcelona to the top of the Spanish league and securing the third position in the European rankings.
Currently, they lead last year's Champions League finalists, Dortmund, on goal difference, with both teams having achieved four victories from five matches prior to their encounter in Germany.
Lewandowski honed his skills in elite European football with Dortmund from 2010 to 2014, helping the team reach the 2013 final, where they were defeated by Bayern Munich at Wembley.
The following year, he transferred to Bayern, where he ultimately secured the Champions League title in 2020.
After joining Barcelona in 2022, Lewandowski had a strong inaugural season, although his performance declined in the subsequent year.
The arrival of Flick has revitalized both the team and the seasoned striker, and until a recent dip in form, both have flourished.
Lewandowski achieved a milestone of 100 Champions League goals during Barcelona's 3-0 victory over Brest in November. He is now second only to all-time leading scorer Cristiano Ronaldo and former Barcelona star Lionel Messi.
Currently, Lewandowski leads the scoring charts in both Spain and the Champions League, having netted seven goals in five matches, two more than any other player.
However, despite his remarkable goal-scoring ability, Lewandowski's inclusion in Barcelona's lineup presents a challenge.
Partly due to his age, the striker has struggled to consistently uphold the team's pressing strategy as Flick desires.
This decline in pressing intensity has recently made Barcelona's high defensive line more vulnerable than at the beginning of the season.
"We made mistakes, but I emphasize that it is not solely the fault of the back four; it begins at the front," remarked the coach following an unexpected 2-1 defeat to Las Palmas in LaLiga at the start of December.
Barcelona recently squandered a two-goal advantage against Celta Vigo, allowing Real Madrid to close the gap at the top of the standings that the Catalans had previously established.
Dortmund will conduct a comprehensive analysis of Barcelona's recent challenges in preparation for their upcoming match at the Westfalenstadion, with Flick acknowledging that his team has faced difficulties in away games.
In a 2-2 draw against Real Betis on Saturday, Barcelona allowed a lead to slip twice, despite Lewandowski finding the net. At times, they were outmatched by their opponents.
"We possess the quality to win every match, but we must also demonstrate that," Flick stated.
"In away matches, we need to perform significantly better than we did here."
Given Flick's ambition to strengthen Barcelona's resilience, a pertinent question arises regarding how long Lewandowski can maintain his impressive form as the season progresses.
The coach opted to rest the striker during a recent 5-1 victory over Mallorca, indicating that Barcelona may not rely on him as heavily as they do on 17-year-old winger Lamine Yamal.
Nonetheless, Flick has consistently supported Lewandowski since his arrival, and even if the Polish forward's work ethic has waned, the coach remains confident.
"Robert is an exemplary professional, diligently maintaining his fitness; his physique defies his age," the coach remarked earlier in the season.
After experiencing some disappointing performances last season, Lewandowski has rejuvenated his career under Flick, and Dortmund supporters will be apprehensive about the return of the formidable forward who once donned their colors a decade ago.
SportsLigue