Will the Polish hitman give Real Madrid something to ponder?

BAYERN MUNICH are looking for Poland hitman Robert Lewandowski to lead from the front in the Champions League against Real Madrid, who have every reason to be wary of a striker they reportedly would like to sign.

“Lewandowski is going nowhere, “Bayern Munich insisted when reports of a possible move to Real resurfaced this year.

The German champions flatly refuse to consider allowing Lewandowski to depart, but will be hoping the 29-year-old Poland striker can leave his calling card against Real in the Champions League.

Bayern will likely need the goals of Lewandowski if they are to overcome the title winners of the past two seasons and progress to the May 26 final in Kiev.

Lewandowski was again on target after coming off the bench late on in the 3-0 win at Hanover on Saturday, to take his leading tally in the Bundesliga to 28 this season and to 39 in 43 competitive games.

It was his 105th goal for Bayern, now more than any other foreign player at one club in the Bundesliga after equalling the record set by Claudio Pizarro for Werder Bremen.

Lewandowski has 45 goals in 70 Champions League games including five in this season’s campaign. That cannot match the 15 by Cristiano Ronaldo for Real, but still the importance of both strikers to their sides draws comparisons despite their different playing roles.

“I hope that in the matches which count he will be a very important player for us,” Bayern coach Jupp Heynckes said ahead of today’s first leg in Munich’s Allianz Arena.

Last season, Bayern went out to Real at the quarter-final stage when Lewandowski missed the first leg and was not fully fit with a shoulder injury for the return in Madrid.

“I was not 100 percent and suffered a bit. We were very unlucky to go out,” he said.

The striker is also in much better shape than he was when Bayern went out to Barcelona in the 2015 semi-final when he played wearing a protective mask following a fractured nose and cheekbone.

The same can be said for a Bayern side playing with great confidence after wrapping up a sixth straight league title and reaching the German Cup final.

“We’ve demonstrated that we are in good shape recently,” Lewandowski said. – dpa