Barcelona striker Lionel Messi has been replaced by Robert Lewandowski as the world's best player, Lothar Matthaus has insisted.
Bayern and Germany legend Matthaus believes Lewandowski will lead the Bundesliga giants to victory over Messi's side in the Champions League quarter-finals on Friday and win the next Ballon d'Or.
The 1990 World Cup winner told Bild: 'Messi faces his successor as the best player in the world: Robert Lewandowski. He is the best player, not just the best forward.
'The Barca of today is no longer the same as before. They have Messi, of course. A player like him is always capable of genius.
'But he alone will not be enough against this Bayern. Barcelona do not scare me.'
Lewandowski is the runaway top scorer in this season's competition with 13 goals, adding another double as Bayern battered Chelsea 4-1 on Saturday to cruise to a 7-1 aggregate win in the round of 16.
Messi has only scored three times in this season's competition, although he has matched Lewandowski's total of four assists and scored Barca's second as they eased to a 3-1 home win against Napoli to set up a meeting with Bayern.
Lewandowski's 53 goals in just 44 matches in all competitions this season helped Bayern to win the Bundesliga at a canter and win all six of their Champions League group stage games.
He found the net 34 times in 31 Bundesliga appearances as the Bavarian club lifted their eighth league title in a row in June.
Messi has also been excellent in a more troubled season for Barca, netting 43 goals in 31 appearances.
The club's all-time leading scorer could not save the out-of-sorts Spanish giants from finishing second in La LIga with a poor run of form at the end of the campaign.
Lewandowski had been hotly-tipped to succeed Messi as the winner of the Ballon d'Or before organisers France Football axed this year's ceremony after the coronavirus pandemic heavily affected the season.
Nock-Olaolymn
765
I agree he is the best player this season but one good season for lewandoski does not mean that he is better than messi.
Sanchez100
546
prove it in the game on Friday
rozbdetuz
530
He Said dream league soccer is better than PES
leo_avi
455
Lewandowski has only one work and that is scoring goals. Messi does the work of three players at the same time. And nowadays, Ronaldo is also beginning to come a little bit deep in the field in the search of ball. Lewandowski has been good but he has very good supply and an amazing team compared to Messi and Ronaldo. I wonder how many goals would Lewandowski get at Juve or Barca because he would not have the same supply as Bayern. People are just very eager to tell someone is better than Messi or Ronaldo because they want changes on the scenes. But only tell someone is better than Messi and Ronaldo if they are carrying the whole team on their back successfully at the highest level.
raynknight
344
One Good season and they are claiming someone is better than the Greatest man to ever touch a football. - Grow up old Man ....
Lilbaby2
332
Pride comes before fall. Nothing more to say
Gaucho4life
8
I agree he is the best player this season but one good season for lewandoski does not mean that he is better than messi.
lewandowski can’t score 91 goals in a calendar year