Champions League

The night Lewandowski surpassed Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo

Despite a 1-1 draw in the first leg, Barcelona ran riot in the return leg to seal a dominant 8-3 aggregate win.

Despite a 1-1 draw in the first leg, Barcelona ran riot in the return leg to seal a dominant 8-3 aggregate win.
Alejandro García

The first meeting had ended in a dramatic 1-1 draw, with goals from Harvey Barnes and Lamine Yamal, but the return leg unfolded very differently. It was an open, end-to-end game, yet Hansi Flick’s side took control and finished with a 7-2 victory, wrapping up an 8-3 aggregate score.

On this occasion, Anthony Elanga scored twice, but it was not enough. Raphinha struck a brace as well, Marc Bernal also got on the scoresheet along with Lamine Yamal and Fermín López, while Polish forward Robert Lewandowski added two goals that further cemented his name among the greats in Europe’s premier club competition.

Lewandowski at Messi and Cristiano’s Champions League table

According to MisterChip, after scoring against Newcastle, Robert Lewandowski has now found the net against 41 different opponents in UEFA Champions League history, moving past Lionel Messi, who scored against 40 teams, and Cristiano Ronaldo, who did so against 38. At 37 years old, he continues to show that he remains fully capable of competing at the highest level in this prestigious tournament.

On top of that, he also moved past Karim Benzema, who had 34, and reached 36 goals in Champions League knockout rounds, trailing only Messi with 49 and Cristiano Ronaldo with 67. Lewandowski now has 16 goals and three assists in the 36 games he has played for Barcelona this season, and he has also reached 117 goals for the club.

Because of the records he continues to break and the consistency he keeps showing, Lewandowski remains one of the best strikers in the game today, proving that despite being a veteran, he is still a reliable source of goals. And with his contract at Barcelona set to expire in June of this year, it remains to be seen what comes next for the Polish forward.

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