Robert Lewandowski’s fight against pain and the decline in scoring at Barça

BarcelonaSince December 31, when club competitions resumed after a World Cup on atypical dates, Robert Lewandowski often repeats the same rictus. Circumstances face, lost gaze or on the grass and arms behind the head or suspended on the knees. Unequivocal symbols of sadness, the feeling that has accompanied him the most during the last three months. Since the League duel against Espanyol, the ram has played fourteen games: nine in the League, the semi-final and the final of the Spanish Super Cup, the two Europa League play-offs and the second leg of the semi-finals of the Cup against Real Madrid. In total, he scored six goals and provided four assists. Two goals and one of the assists correspond to the match against Elx (0-4), the leader of the League.

The poor current figures of the Pole contrast with the status with which he arrived at Barça: four years of contract signed in exchange for more than 50 million net euros to be received progressively and with a transfer fee of 45 million plus five more in variables He had won everything with Bayern Munich in recent seasons, but he landed at Barça at almost 34 years old (he will be 35 in August). The relationship between its representative, the Israeli Pini Zahavi, and president Joan Laporta transcends the professional sphere, because they maintain a bond of friendship. The Barcelona lawyer traveled to Israel for Zahavi’s birthday party and, at the same time, the latter was invited to the Barça box office.

In the last ten games played at Camp Nou, Lewandowski has only scored one goal. It was against Cadiz. In front of Girona, Real Madrid (for a double game, Cup and League), Manchester United, Sevilla, Real Sociedad, Almeria, Espanyol and Bayern Munich, it remained zero. Before the World Cup match in Qatar, the Polish striker started the season like a thunderbolt: between the second and seventh matches of the League he scored nine goals (with three doubles, against Real, Valladolid and Elche). But their numbers have fallen noticeably.

“I have had some problems after the World Cup. I am aware that my last games have not been perfect. A lot of players have had difficulties after the World Cup, I don’t know why. I don’t know how to explain it. When I don’t score in two or three games I am the first thing that surprises me. This is Barça and it’s not just about winning, but about how you win and how many goals you score,” he explained this Tuesday at the presentation of the book Solidarity Stories of Sport, which the Barça striker sponsors in its 18th edition. The footballer emphasized that renowned sportsmen must use their loudspeakers to support charitable causes. The proceeds from the book and related acts will go to the Lovaas Foundation, which focuses on helping children with autism.

Little incidence of Lewandowski’s goals in the big dates

The Pole, one of the leaders of the dressing room – it is common to see him before the start of the matches waiting for his teammates and encouraging them -, also wanted to express that the responsibility for the goal does not correspond only to the center forward: “But what not scoring so many goals is not up to me alone. Of course I’m responsible for that, but we’re a team.” In fact, Lewandowski has mentioned the absence of important players such as Pedri and Dembélé in key matches of the season.

Against the great rivals, their goals have only been decisive in the Spanish Super Cup. On the other hand, against Inter he scored two goals in the draw at the Camp Nou (3-3) in the group stage of the Champions League, in a match in which Barça played everything, and against United he scoring a penalty in the defeat at Old Trafford (2-1) that left the Blaugranas out of the Europa League.

Regarding the last two games, against Real Madrid and Girona, in which Lewandowski has been at his worst since he arrived at Barça, the ex-Bayern player explained that he played in pain. In the first half against the white team, he received a hard blow from Militao in the lower back. The Pole has explained that this burdened him and, in fact, drags the pain. He did not train normally on Sunday, the day before playing against Girona, and has confessed that this Monday, the day of the match, he could not “even walk” early in the morning when he got up. He was able to play thanks to the work of physiotherapists and with the help of a lumbar belt: “I’m not the type of footballer who gets wiped out. I wanted to help my teammates.” He played the 90 minutes.

Lewandowski embraces Messi’s return

Lewandowski is convinced that he will improve for the rest of the season. “In the remaining matches I will be the old man, not the old man.” In recent years at Bayern he scored more goals than he played: 50 goals in 46 games (2021-22), 48 in 40 (2020-21) and 55 in 47 (2019-20). He has also asked for “time and patience”, remembering that there are many new players who are playing together for the first season and has made it clear that the team has the League title within reach. Looking ahead, he has embraced a hypothetical Messi return: “His return would be fantastic, not only for the fans, but also for the players. I would like to play with him and we need those kinds of players.”