Before joining Barcelona, I was like a machine, Robert Lewandowski mused earlier this season. Here, I’ve embraced my humanity.
Throughout his years at Borussia Dortmund and his entire tenure at Bayern Munich, Lewandowski epitomized the top-tier goal-scorer. Always striving for improvement, he pursued every possible upgrade. This striker, who engages in concentration exercises on his days off and consumes dessert before the main course for quicker sugar digestion than protein, was the epitome of dedication.
Nevertheless, the relentless march of time is starting to make its presence felt even on the player praised by Pep Guardiola as “the most professional player I’ve ever met.”
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Lewandowski labored at the forefront of Barcelona’s lackluster attack for a full 90 minutes in a feeble 1-0 Champions League defeat to Shakhtar Donetsk on Tuesday. This marked his sixth consecutive club appearance without finding the net, constituting Lewandowski’s lengthiest goal drought in over 12 years.
The once-prolific Pole hasn’t hit the back of the net since scoring a late brace against Celta Vigo in September. Adding to the concern, Lewandowski’s nine shots during this goalless streak have all missed the mark, accumulating a mere 0.86 xG collectively (as per ESPN).
While the recent scoring drought has been noteworthy, it’s part of a broader decline that began post-World Cup. Before the winter break in Qatar, Lewandowski was averaging a goal every 89 minutes for Barcelona in league and European competitions. In 2023, that rate has slowed to one goal every 167 minutes.
Though the dip is less pronounced when examining the underlying statistics—Lewandowski had a hot finishing streak in 2022 and has missed more chances than expected this calendar year—it’s evident that the 35-year-old is receiving fewer scoring opportunities.
Lewandowski isn’t the sole player grappling with attacking challenges. Barcelona collectively managed just one shot on target against Shakhtar. Xavi openly conceded that his team “deserved to lose,” expressing frustration: “We played badly, and nothing we had planned worked. We’re upset. Confidence has dwindled, we’re in a bit of a rut, and we need a reset.”