Barcelona star looking to reach milestone held only by Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo in UEFA Champions League clash against Brest
Barcelona striker Robert Lewandowski is looking to join Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi on the exclusive list of players to have scored 100 UEFA Champions League goals. The Poland international is expected to lead the line for the Spanish giants when they face French outfit Brest on Tuesday (November 26).
The UEFA Champions League, Europe's elite club competition, has been graced by some of the world's best players over the years. Two of the greatest players of all time, Ronaldo and Messi, have left their marks on the competition, winning it five and four times, respectively.
Robert Lewandowski has also won the competition once in his career, but his goal tally is set to put him among the very best in history. Lionel Messi scored 129 goals (163 games) in the competition and Cristiano Ronaldo managed 140 goals (183 games) before leaving Europe. Lewandowski's goal count stands at 99 goals in 124 appearances in the competition in the colors of three clubs.
The 36-year-old scored 17 goals (28 games) in his days as a Borussia Dortmund player before scoring another 69 (78 games) in a Bayern Munich shirt. He has scored 13 (18 games) for Barcelona in the competition, and is third in the all-time scoring charts.
Lewandowski has been in fine form this season, registering 20 goals and two assists in 18 games across all competitions for La Blaugrana and earning the praise of manager Hansi Flick. With five goals in four Champions League games this season, the Pole will likely continue his rich vein of form against Brest.
Barcelona played out a 2-2 draw against Celta Vigo in LaLiga on Saturday (November 23), with Lewandowski finding the net once in the tie. The Spanish side will be keen to bounce back with a win against the unbeaten French side, who are among the surprise packages of the competition.
Barcelona star names himself as great alongside Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi
Barcelona striker Robert Lewandowski has said he ranks favorably when compared to Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo in terms of performing in this era. The Poland international has made a name for himself as one of the finest strikers of his generation, with over 600 goals to his name.
Lewandowski spoke to The Athletic in an interview where he expressed his pride at the career he has eked out for himself. The 36-year-old pointed out that he managed to win a number of games against both the legends and their teams over the years. He said:
“I have been playing football in the same era as Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo. I think I’ve been close to that elite level in some moments and even beat them in different games. I think we can say I was around! It means a lot if you get close to guys like this. It makes me very proud to see that in the era of Messi and Ronaldo, sometimes, Lewandowski also managed to break some records and make an impact.”
Robert Lewandowski has faced Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi in the colors of various clubs and the Poland national team over the years. The Barcelona man has scored 83 goals for his country (155 outings), putting him fourth behind the duo and India's Sunil Chhetri among international goalscorers.