Barcelona’s Robert Lewandowski made history on Tuesday by scoring twice in a commanding 3-0 victory over the French side Brest, becoming only the third player ever to reach 100 goals in the UEFA Champions League. The Polish superstar joins football legends Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi in this exclusive club.
This latest triumph propelled Barcelona to second place in their group with 12 points from five matches, just one point behind leaders Inter Milan and tied with Liverpool, who will play Real Madrid on Wednesday. Brest, following the loss, slipped to ninth with a total of 10 points.
Lewandowski opened the scoring in the 10th minute by converting a penalty after being fouled by Brest’s goalkeeper Marco Bizot, marking his milestone 100th Champions League goal. After a few challenging matches in LaLiga, Barcelona showcased their attacking prowess, managing 19 attempts on goal against a Brest side that failed to register a single shot on target.
Despite dominating the match, the Catalonians missed several opportunities to extend their lead. Dani Olmo, however, increased the margin with a brilliant solo goal, dribbling past two defenders before finishing decisively. Lewandowski capped off the evening with a well-placed shot in stoppage time, courtesy of a setup from Alejandro Balde.
Expressing his satisfaction, Lewandowski shared, “I’m very happy, very happy. 101 goals in the Champions League is a great number.” He acknowledged the team’s recent struggles in LaLiga but remained optimistic, stating, “We just have to be patient. We will score more goals in the end.”
At 36 years old, Lewandowski is enjoying a stellar season, having netted 22 goals in 19 matches across all competitions. He leads the Champions League this season with seven goals in five games and has 15 goals along with two assists in 14 LaLiga matches.
Lewandowski’s journey in the Champions League began with Borussia Dortmund in October 2011, and while he has reached 100 goals, he still aims to surpass Lionel Messi’s record of 129 goals, with Ronaldo leading the tally at 140. Karim Benzema stands fourth on the all-time list with 90 goals.
Looking ahead, Barcelona faces a packed schedule with three LaLiga matches coming up—against Las Palmas, Mallorca, and Real Betis—before a crucial Champions League matchup against Borussia Dortmund on December 11.
This achievement by Lewandowski is not only a testament to his individual brilliance but also highlights Barcelona’s resilience and capability to bounce back from setbacks. Fans can look forward to an exciting continuation of the season, as the team works hard to secure victories in both domestic and international competitions.