Robert Lewandowski matches Cristiano Ronaldo and MSN milestones in Champions League with Barcelona
Since joining Barcelona in the summer of 2022, Robert Lewandowski has cemented his place as one of the most prolific strikers in the club’s recent history. The Polish forward showcased his prowess once again during Barcelona’s Champions League clash against Benfica, equaling a milestone previously achieved by the iconic MSN trio—Lionel Messi, Luis Suarez, and Neymar.
Barcelona faced Benfica in Portugal on Matchday 7 of the Champions League group stage, aiming to secure direct qualification for the round of 16. The home side struck first with Vangelis Pavlidis opening the scoring, but Lewandowski leveled the game from the penalty spot in the 13th minute, keeping Barcelona’s hopes alive.
With this goal, Lewandowski became only the fifth player in Barcelona’s history to score eight or more goals in a single Champions League season. Before him, this feat was accomplished by the legendary MSN trio and Brazilian star Rivaldo.
While Neymar and Suarez achieved it once each, Messi stands alone with the remarkable record of surpassing this milestone nine times during his illustrious career at Barcelona.
Rivaldo was the first to reach this benchmark in the 1999-2000 Champions League season, scoring 10 goals and providing one assist in 14 games. Despite his stellar performance, Barcelona’s title hopes were dashed in the semifinals by Valencia, with an aggregate loss of 5-3.
Lewandowski joins Cristiano Ronaldo in Champions League history
In the thrilling 5-4 game between Benfica and Barcelona, Lewandowski scored a brace from the penalty spot, highly contributing for his team’s comeback. Apart from the direct qualification to the round of 16 of the Champions League, he also reached another milestone, but now with Cristiano Ronaldo.
By converting two penalties in the 13th and 78th minutes, Lewandowski equaled Cristiano Ronaldo’s record for the most penalty goals in Champions League history, with 19.
Ronaldo and Lewandowski now share the top spot in this category, with Messi close behind in third place with 18 penalty goals. Following them are Sergio Agüero with 11, and a three-way tie for fifth, featuring Luis Figo, Harry Kane, and Ruud van Nistelrooy, each with 10.