"Two of the three best strikers in the world" — Barcelona boss Xavi highlights difference between Lewandowski and Benzema ahead of Real Madrid clash
Real Madrid and Barcelona are set to lock horns for their fifth and final El Clasico of the campaign on Wednesday evening in the Copa del Rey semi-final. The two Spanish giants head into the fixture in fine touch, winning 6-0 and 4-0 versus Real Valladolid and Elche respectively.
The games saw both teams' star strikers — Karim Benzema and Robert Lewandowski — return to club football in smashing form. The Frenchman scored a hat-trick, while the Pole bagged a brace along with an assist.
Benzema and Lewandowski are often regarded as two of the best strikers of their generation, having racked up over a combined 700 goals in Europe's top five leagues. They are often compared to one another, and ahead of this fixture, Barcelona boss Xavi Hernandez became the latest football figure to express an opinion on the matter.
When asked what he believes is the difference between the strikers, Xavi explained:
"With [Karim] Benzema and [Robert] Lewandowski, we’re speaking of two out of the three best strikers in the world right now. They’re similar, but Benzema joins the midfield more. I would say that Robert understands our game perfectly, and he’s more physical."
Robert Lewandowski's 25th goal of the season (in his 30th game). #MUNBAR https://t.co/iZxYTFpXwX
Benzema has been forced to miss over 10 games this season due to injury. He has, however, racked up 14 league goals in 17 appearances, along with three assists.
Lewandowski joined Barcelona last summer in a massive €45 million deal from Bayern Munich and has scored 17 times in 23 league fixtures, setting up a further six in the process. The 34-year-old ended a run of three La Liga games without scoring when he bagged two versus Elche.
Speaking about his performance ahead of the Real Madrid tie, Xavi commented:
"It’s important that Lewandowski scored again, after a couple games without scoring. The same with Ansu [Fati] and Ferran [Torres], attackers need that."
Xavi praises Barcelona's Gavi amidst Real Madrid criticism
Blaugrana starlet Gavi was on the receiving end of criticism for his display against Real Madrid the last time the two sides faced off. The Spaniard's aggressive approach to the game was highlighted by Los Blancos in the aftermath of their defeat as they reportedly believed Gavi lacked sportsmanship on the pitch.
When asked if he believes Gavi will be targeted by their upcoming opponents, Barcelona boss Xavi replied:
"Gavi, for his age, is quite mature. I don’t want him to lose the naturalness he has, he competes very well."
The 18-year-old was involved in several altercations on the pitch, most notably with Dani Ceballos towards the end of the game.