prolific

Since Cristiano Ronaldo last won the Champions League, no player has more goals than Robert Lewandowski but Erling Haaland has amazing record and Kylian Mbappe has point to prove

by · talkSPORT

Robert Lewandowski is already a Champions League winner with Bayern Munich but can the prolific Polish striker fire new club Barcelona to glory this season?

Cristiano Ronaldo tops the all-time scoring charts in UEFA’s premier club competition with 140 goals but since the Portuguese star’s last triumph in 2018, no player has scored more Champions League goals than Lewandowski.

Robert Lewandowski joined Barcelona from Bayern Munich this summer with an excellent record in front of goalGetty
All eyes will be on Erling Haaland and Lewandowski this season when the Champions League beginsGetty

In the past four seasons, Lewandowski has netted a staggering 46 goals in 45 games in the competition and helped Bayern claim a sixth Champions League crown at the expense of Paris Saint-Germain in 2020.

Lewandowski, 34, made a switch to the Nou Camp this summer in one of a number of high-profile signings for the Catalans and after a period of uncertainty at the club, Barca once again look primed and ready to take on Europe’s best.

Key to Barcelona’s success could be the form of the Polish star and if his start to life at the club is anything to go by, Lewandowski could be the trump card for Los Cules in this season’s competition.

Champions League top scorers since 2018

Robert Lewandowski: 46 goals in 45 games
Karim Benzema: 35 goals in 47 games
Cristiano Ronaldo: 35 goals in 42 games
Mohamed Salah: 33 goals in 56 games
Lionel Messi: 31 goals in 41 games

He currently sits in third place behind former Barcelona forward Lionel Messi (125 goals) and Ronaldo in the all-time scorers list with 86 goals – sharing the podium position with Real Madrid’s Karim Benzema.

Erling Haaland scored for fun at Borussia Dortmund and Man City fans will hope he can fire them to Champions League gloryAFP or licensors

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The two veteran strikers will be expected to go deep into the competition and even battle it out for this season’s top scorer gong, more so with Messi playing a deeper and less prolific role at PSG and Ronaldo currently set to play Europa League football with Manchester United.

Last season Benzema was named top scorer with 15 goals as Real Madrid romped to a 14th crown. Lewandowski was second with 13 goals despite Bayern exiting in the quarter finals to Villarreal.

This year the competition will be as fierce as ever with Erling Haaland hoping to continue his red hot form at Manchester City. The Premier League club’s summer signing has scored 23 goals in 19 Champions League games so far.

Kylian Mbappe will be ready to justify his contract extension at PSG and Sadio Mane is hoping to go one better than he did last season and fire new club Bayern to glory.

The Champions League group stage draw takes centre stage on Thursday in Istanbul and Lewandowski will be licking his lips at the thought of adding more victims to his impressive goal scoring tally in recent seasons.

Benzema will be amongst the front runners to be top scorer again this seasonAFP
Kylian Mbappe will be out to prove a point in front of goal in this year’s competitionAFP

With Barcelona in Pot 2, the draw could match Lewandowski with PSG and a potential meeting with Messi.

In their last head-to-head, Lewandowski got the better of the Argentine and netted as Bayern thrashed the Catalan’s 8-2 in the quarter final in 2020.

The draw could also throw up a return to Bayern Munich for the striker who forced his way out of the club this summer leading to strained relationships with Bayern club officials.

Whatever the draw throws up, there is little doubt that Barcelona have turned the corner in the post-Messi era and with no overwhelming favourite in this year’s competition, the acquisition of Lewandowski immediately throws Barca’s name into the hat of eventual winners.

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