Robert Lewandowski has joined Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo in an exclusive goal club. At 37 years of age, the prolific Polish striker continues to deliver end product for La Liga giants Barcelona. He is not seeing as many minutes as he would like, as his contract runs down, but has extended a remarkable streak in the final third of the field.
Free agency beckons for Lewandowski
Questions continue to be asked of how much longer Lewandowski will spend in Catalunya, with free agency beckoning as things stand. There have been suggestions that the veteran frontman could be offered a 12-month extension.
He showed in Barcelona’s latest fixture that he still knows his way to the back of the net. Hansi Flick handed Lewandowski a starting berth against Real Mallorca, with Ferran Torres – who has been the Blaugrana’s go-to option to lead the line this season – being named among the substitutes.
Lewandowski set Barca on their way to three points that have cemented their standing at the top of the Liga table. He broke the deadlock inside half-an-hour, with a typically composed finish being delivered after seeing the ball drop his way 10 yards out.
The Poland international registered 42 goals for Barcelona across all competitions last season, his best return in Spanish football, and has reached 13 this term. Double figures have been hit again in La Liga.
It is in that department that Lewandowski has emulated the achievements of all-time greats Messi and Ronaldo. He has become just the third player in the 21st century to post 10 or more goals in Europe’s top five divisions across 15 consecutive seasons.
Former Barcelona and Paris Saint-Germain star Messi enjoyed a run of 15 successive campaigns, while ex-Manchester United, Real Madrid and Juventus icon Ronaldo managed a sequence of 16.
Lewandowski’s run started back in 2011-12 while on the books of Borussia Dortmund. He has remained a reliable source of goals since then for Bayern Munich and Barca. Decisions now need to be made on what his short and long-term futures will hold.
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