Since joining Barcelona in the summer of 2022, Robert Lewandowski has cemented his place as one of the most prolific strikers in the club’s recent history. The Polish forward showcased his talent once again in Barcelona’s Champions League match against Benfica, matching the milestone previously achieved by MSN’s iconic trio of Lionel Messi, Luis Suarez and Neymar.
Barcelona faced Portugal’s Benfica in the seventh round of the Champions League group stage, aiming to qualify directly for the round of 16. The home team scored first through Vangelis Pavlidis, but Lewandowski equalized with a penalty in the 13th minute. He kept Barcelona’s hopes alive.
With this goal, Lewandowski became the fifth player in Barcelona’s history to score eight or more goals in a single Champions League season. Before him, this feat was accomplished by legendary MSN trio and Brazilian star Rivaldo.
Neymar and Suarez have each achieved this milestone once, but Messi stands alone with an astonishing nine times over his glittering career at Barcelona.
Rivaldo reached this benchmark for the first time in the 1999-2000 Champions League season, scoring 10 goals and providing one assist in 14 games. Despite his excellent performance, Barcelona’s hopes of winning the title were dashed in the semi-finals by Valencia, losing 5-3 on aggregate.
Lewandowski joins Cristiano Ronaldo in making Champions League history
In a thrilling 5-on-4 match between Benfica and Barcelona, Lewandowski scored his second goal from the penalty spot and was instrumental in his side’s comeback. Apart from direct qualification to the round of 16 of the Champions League, he also reached a new milestone alongside Cristiano Ronaldo.
With two penalty goals in the 13th and 78th minutes, Lewandowski equaled Cristiano Ronaldo’s record for most penalty goals in Champions League history with 19.
Currently, Ronaldo and Lewandowski share the top spot in this category, with Messi in a close third place with 18 penalty goals. Sergio Aguero follows with 11, while Luis Figo, Harry Kane and Ruud van Nistelrooy are tied for fifth with 10 each.
Loading…
