ARE THEY TOO RELIANT ON ROBERT LEWANDOWSKI?
Bayern’s hopes of substantial Champions League progress will depend to a large extent on the powers of recovery of their peerless Polish striker.
Having scored an incredible 30 goals for Bayern in the first half of the season, including 10 in the Champions League, the 31-year-old underwent a minor groin operation during the winter break and will be hoping to return as good as new. But momentum can be a delicate business in any sport and any break, intermission or change of circumstance can throw a spanner in the works.
Lewandowski did not travel to Bayern’s mid-term training camp in Doha, wisely continuing his rehab in the Bavarian capital, and Bayern are confident he will soon be fit and raring to go. Beset by an abundance of injury woes at present – to defenders Niklas Sule, Lucas Hernandez and Javi Martinez, plus wingers Kingsley Coman and Serge Gnabry – they would truly be in the mire without the focal point of their attack. They simply cannot replace him.
No longer fixated by thoughts of a switch to Real
Madrid, the Pole is at the peak of his goalscoring powers, snapping up chances with deadly aplomb and merrily breaking records. The pick of his exploits this term? At least one goal in each of Bayern’s first 11 Bundesliga games and the quickest four-goal burst in Champions League history: a 15minute salvo in November’s 6-0 win against Red Star in Belgrade.
He recently became Bayern’s leading Champions League marksman with 46 goals and now stands in fifth place in the competition’s all-time list with 63.
However, it is fair to say that he has
“For me, he is the world’s best striker. As a number nine you have to score goals – and he does that” Bayern caretaker coach Hansi Flick on Lewandowski