After two matches in a row without a win (defeat to Real Sociedad, draw against Celta Vigo), Barcelona are aiming to get back on track as they take on Brest in their fifth league phase match in this season’s Champions League. It’s been a common trend for Hansi Flick’s side to score early in games, and they have done so again in this one.
It’s Robert Lewandowski that has found the back of the net after only 10 minutes. He was fouled by Brest goalkeeper Marco Bizot inside the penalty area, before picking himself up to dispatch the resulting spot-kick.
It’s a cool and confident penalty from Lewandowski, who now moves on to 100 goals in the Champions League – he’s only the first player in history to achieve this feat, after Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi.
Barcelona can settle themselves down with this early goal, as they go for a fourth successive victory in the Champions League. They are on course for this already.
Robert Lewandowski has joined Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi an exclusive Champions League club after scoring an early penalty in Barcelona’s home game against Brest on Tuesday.
After he himself had been fouled in the penalty area, the Polish striker calmly stroke the ball past opposition goalkeeper Marco Bizot from 12 yards to score his 100th goal in UEFA’s elite club competition.
Only two other players have hit triple figures in the competition and there would have been no prizes for guessing who they are. Ronaldo leads the way with 140 goals in 183 appearances, followed by Messi, who netted 129 times in 163 games.
At 36, there seems to be little hope of Lewandowski catching the Argentine, although he should be safe in third spot for quite some time. Karim Benzema is next on 90 but is also 36 and now playing in Saudi Arabia, which means the stars of the younger generation are the most likely to threaten to join the club.
Real Madrid attacker Kylian Mbappé (49 goals in 77 appearances) and Erling Haaland of Manchester City (44 goals in 43 games) are the obvious candidates, although they are a few years away from emulating Ronaldo, Messi and now Lewandowski.