Robert Lewandowski makes Champions League history, eclipses Benzema’s goal-scoring record
Barcelona and Plzen had last played each other in the 2011-12 Champions League group stage where Barcelona won both matches.
Robert Lewandowski’s decision to sign for Barcelona during the summer had raised several eyebrows given how his entire career panned out in Germany. The Polish striker, however, put all the doubts to rest by scoring a hat-trick in his first UEFA Champions League match of the season. Goals from Lewandowski, new signing Frank Kessie and Ferran Torres saw Barcelona register a 5-1 crushing win over Viktoria Plzen. Apart from scoring a hat-trick, the striker also got his name etched in the history books.
Barcelona vs Viktoria Plzen: Robert Lewandowski creates history after UEFA Champions League hat-trick
Barcelona and Plzen had last played each other in the 2011-12 Champions League group stage where Barcelona won both matches. Lewandowski’s hat-trick made him the first player in UEFA Champions League history to achieve the feat with three different clubs. Before Barcelona, Robert Lewandowski scored hat-tricks while playing for Bayern Munich and Borussia Dortmund. The hat-trick takes the Barcelona strikers’ tally to eight goals from his first five matches. The 34-year-old now has seven Champions League hat tricks, with the others coming with Bayern Munich and Borussia Dortmund.
Interestingly, he now also becomes the third-highest goal-scorer in the history of Champions League with 89 goals behind only Cristiano Ronaldo (141) and Lionel Messi (125), thereby also outshining Real Madrid star Karim Benzema who is placed 4th with 86 goals.
After Kessie gave Barcelona the lead in the 13th minute with a header off a corner kick, Lewandowski scored the team’s second goal and his first of the night in the 34th minute. The ex-Bayern Munich star scored again in first-half stoppage time with a header after a cross by Ousmane Dembele.
The former Dortmund star completed his hat-trick with a low shot from outside the area in the 67th minute. Torres scored the fifth goal for the hosts with a nice volley from close range in the 71st. Barcelona’s also ended Plzen’s 34 games unbeaten run in competitive matches. The club from the Czech Republic had won 10 of its first 12 matches this season and entered the Champions League match with a record of 29 wins and five draws.
Xavi claims he is ‘in love’ with Lewandowski
Barcelona coach Xavi Hernández said he was running out of words to praise his new striker. While speaking at the press conference, Xavi said “Robert is relentless. He is humble and is always working hard. I don’t have enough compliments for him. He scored three goals today, but it wasn’t only that. It’s about how he helps the team, about his presence. What a fantastic signing.” Notably, Lewandowski only had one year remaining on his Bayern contract but was eager to sign for FC Barcelona.
