Robert Lewandowski has stretched closer to etching his name among the top goal-scorers in UEFA Champions League history. At 35, the prolific Polish striker netted his 99th goal in the competition during Barcelona’s commanding 5-2 victory over Crvena Zvezda, adding to his already impressive goal tally this season. His only goal against the Serbian side brings him within touching distance of the coveted 100-goal milestone. The 100-goal mark has only been achieved by two players in the tournament’s history – Argentina’s Lionel Messi and Portugal’s Cristiano Ronaldo.
Four more games are left in the 2024/25 Champions League new League phase and Lewandowski is widely expected to hit the century mark before the knockout stages. This would place him in an exclusive club alongside Lionel Messi, who currently has 129 goals, and Cristiano Ronaldo, who leads the all-time UCL goal-scoring chart with 141 goals.
As the former Bayern Munich and Borussia Dortmund striker approaches this milestone, the football world is abuzz with speculation about whether he can go beyond merely surpassing the 100-goal mark and actually challenging the records set by Messi and Ronaldo in the last two decades.
Lewandowski is the only player in the top seven goal scorers in the Champions League that remains in European top-flight football with Barcelona, and he is chanced to reach the feat ahead of upcoming young talents like Erling Haaland and Kylian Mbappe. Cristiano Ronaldo left for Saudi Arabian club Al Hilal after his remarkable UCL spells with Manchester United, Real Madrid and Juventus. He leads the competition’s chart with 141 goals and 42 assists, the highest in the tournament’s history. Lionel Messi spent most of his career with Barcelona and played his last two seasons with Paris Saint Germain before heading to the MLS with Inter Miami. French star Karim Benzema is fourth on the list with 90 UCL goals but now plays professionally in the Saudi Pro League with Al Littihad. Other prolific goal scorers with 50+ goals in the top chart are retired.
Barcelona’s form this season under Hansi Flick makes them one of the favorites to have a deep run in the competition and possibly win it, giving Lewandowski an advantage to reach this milestone. TNT Sports pundit Rory Smith weighed in on the possibility of Lewandowski closing the gap on Messi’s record, which seems to be the most achievable considering his age. While expressing his optimism about the Polish striker’s chances, he said; “It’s not impossible that he catches Messi,” Smith noted. “Thirty more goals, two more years, fifteen a season. He’s quite old, but he famously eats his pudding before his main course. He’ll be going! And he’s going to have at least eight games per season to do it in. So it’s not impossible.”
Smith’s comments highlight Lewandowski’s unique approach to fitness and competitive mindset at his age. The Polish striker is well known in the Barca and Polish training grounds for his exceptional training routine and disciplined lifestyle. He has managed to maintain his peak performance long after many players his age have started to decline.
Looking at the numbers, Lewandowski would need to score 31 more goals to surpass Messi’s total. This is no small feat, but it remains a possibility given his track record of averaging double-digit goals in the competition across multiple clubs and seasons. The Polish forward already has five goals from four Champions League games and fourteen in twelve La Liga games. In his time with Borussia Dortmund and Bayern Munich, he finished as the Champions League’s top scorer in multiple campaigns.
Despite being in the twilight of his career, Lewandowski has shown little signs of slowing down. Since his move to Barcelona, he has continued to deliver consistently, proving that he remains a formidable force in European football. His finishing ability is the perfect icing on a top-notch Barcelona attack. He stands at the center of the club’s resurgence as they aim to re-establish themselves as a dominant force in Europe by attempting to win the La Liga and Champions League competitions this season.
As the season progresses, we will keep a close eye on Lewandowski’s pursuit of Messi and Ronaldo’s records. While surpassing Ronaldo’s 141-goal mark may be a stretch given the time left in Lewandowski’s career, overtaking Messi’s tally of 129 goals seems like a more achievable target if he can maintain his current form over the next couple of seasons.
Two Team Yet to Concede After Four 2024/25 UCL League Games
Among the 36 teams competing in this season’s UEFA Champions League, only two have managed to maintain a flawless defensive record thus far. Both teams hail from the Italian Serie A, though they qualified for the UCL from different routes. Last season’s Italian champions Inter Milan and Europa League winners Atalanta are the only clubs yet to concede a single goal in the tournament.
These Italian powerhouses have shown their impressive defensive resilience in the tournament and demonstrated their ability to compete against the best teams in Europe. In the last round of UCL football, Inter Milan, who were Champions League finalists two seasons ago, secured a narrow 1-0 victory over Mikel Arteta’s Arsenal, handing the North London club their first defeat in the competition this season. On the other hand, Atalanta showed its strength and competitiveness in the League with a solid 2-0 away win against the Bundesliga side, VfB Stuttgart.
These defensive displays highlight the form that helped both teams to domestic and European success last year. Both Simeone Inzaghi and Gian Piero Gasperin have found a balanced approach on the field that focuses on defensive solidity without compromising their attacks. Inter Milan scored six goals in their four League phase games and sat fifth in the UCL standings with 10 points. Atalanta, on the other hand, has scored five times and earned ninth place with eight points, indicating that both sides are maintaining a well-rounded strategy.
Atalanta’s Champions League 2024-25 Results to Date:
Atalanta 0-0 Arsenal
Shakhtar Donetsk 0-3 Atalanta
Atalanta 0-0 Celtic
VfB Stuttgart 0-2 Atalanta
Inter Milan’s Champions League 2024-25 Results to Date:
Manchester City 0-0 Inter Milan
Inter Milan 4-0 Red Star Belgrade
Young Boys 0-1 Inter Milan
Inter Milan 1-0 Arsenal
This mix of defensive strength and attack continues to make Inter Milan and Atalanta strong contenders in this year’s competition.
Upcoming UCL Fixtures
The last round of UCL games saw the best teams in Europe engage in nail-biting encounters that ended in unprecedented results for some European powerhouses. The next set of fixtures promises even more excitement, as each team vies to make the Round of 16 or test their fate in the Playoffs rounds. See the upcoming fixtures below:
Tuesday, 26th November
SK Slovan Bratislava vs AC Milan — 17:45
Sparta Prague vs Atletico Madrid — 17:45
BSC Young Boys Bern vs Atalanta — 20:00
Barcelona vs Brest — 20:00
Bayer Leverkusen vs Red Bull Salzburg — 20:00
Bayern Munich vs Paris Saint-Germain — 20:00
Inter Milan vs RB Leipzig — 20:00
Manchester City vs Feyenoord — 20:00
Sporting Lisbon vs Arsenal — 20:00
Wednesday, 27th November
Crvena Zvezda vs Stuttgart — 17:45
Sturm Graz vs Girona — 17:45
Aston Villa vs Juventus — 20:00
Bologna vs Lille — 20:00
Celtic vs Club Brugge — 20:00
Dinamo Zagreb vs Borussia Dortmund — 20:00
Liverpool vs Real Madrid — 20:00
Monaco vs Benfica — 20:00
PSV Eindhoven vs Shakhtar Donetsk — 20:00
Get Tickets to All UUCL Games This Season
Find available Champions League Final tickets and explore the seat maps and prices across venues to witness the best teams in Europe LIVE. Secondary ticket marketplaces remain the most reliable source for hassle-free tickets to the Games. Get yours and join fellow football enthusiasts to cheer your favorite team to victory.
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