“If I had known, I might not have changed him” - Barcelona boss Hansi Flick cracks joke about withdrawing Lewandowski on the verge of milestone
Barcelona manager Hansi Flick had a humourous exchange with a reporter when asked about taking off Robert Lewandowski during their 5-2 win over Crvena zvezda. The Polish star was close to a landmark 100 goals in the Champions League before being taken off on Wednesday (November 6).
Heading into the game, the 36-year-old had 97 goals in the continental tournament. Two strikes in either half took him to 99 before he was substituted in the 78th minute.
Speaking after the game, Flick said had he known about his tally, he might have left Lewandowski on. Insisting on the importance of the upcoming games, he said (via Barca Universal):
“If I had known, I might not have changed him. I honestly don’t think about it. He was very good today. We have to think about other games, like the one in San Sebastian. I’m very happy.”
The Barcelona talisman is close to becoming just the third player to hit triple figures in the Champions League, behind Cristiano Ronaldo (140) and Lionel Messi (129). With a highly prolific rate of 0.8 goals per game in the tournament (99 in 124 appearances), he has established himself as one of the top performers in the tournament's history.
The brace against their Serbian opponents took him to five goals in four games this campaign, adding to what has been a remarkable start for both player and the club. His 19 goals and two assists in 16 games have kept La Blaugrana comfortably at the top of LaLiga, while they are sixth in the UCL, in the running for a direct qualification spot.
Thierry Henry pinpoints the person responsible for Barcelona's success
Thierry Henry suggested that it was former Barcelona manager Xavi and not current boss Hansi Flick who ushered a new era for the club. Speaking on CBS Sports, the former Blaugrana forward said:
"I don’t think Hansi Flick started a new era…Xavi did. He's continuing what Xavi did. Xavi started (Pau) Cubarsi, Xavi started Lamine Yamal, Xavi started a lot of the players there. So, he left, Hansi Flick arrived."
"Yes, I do think that this team right now, because of the two years that they had playing together and going through a difficult season last year, that's when you learn the most about your character and what you're about to do and how you're going to perform," he added.
After taking over from Ronald Koeman in November 2021, Xavi led the Catalan giants to the LaLiga title in the 2022-23 season. However, he left the club after the 2023-24 campaign which saw the club fail to defend their title.
He handed debuts to the likes of Lamine Yamal, Pau Cubarsi, and Marc Casado, players who have become vital under Hansi Flick for Barcelona. Alongside the trio, a host of other La Masia products have shone under the German as they enjoy a strong run domestically and in Europe.