Lewandowski reveals Real Madrid star to be among toughest opponents

The Polish striker discusses the best centre-backs he has come up against over the course of a prolific career for club and country

Bayern Munich’s Robert Lewandowski has revealed the most challenging defenders he’s ever faced in his career.

The Polish striker has amassed 199 Bundesliga goals from just 283 appearances, scoring against a plethora of opponents.

However, despite his scoring prowess, the frontman has picked out a handful of defenders who he found it difficult to trouble, both domestically and in European competition.

“In the Champions League, Sergio Ramos,” Lewandowski told kicker. 

“He’s a great centre-back, not just defensive, even with the ball.”

“In the Bundesliga, Jerome Boateng and Mats Hummels, that was always a challenge and not easy to play [against].”

He also revealed his footballing idols, naming two forwards in particular who he admired and sought to emulate as he made his name in professional football.

“Thierry Henry, I liked to study his style of play. I also liked Alessandro del Piero,” he added.

While he perhaps lacks the raw pace of Henry or the technical gifts of Del Piero, Lewandowski has certainly morphed into an elite finisher and has produced some spectacular goalscoring feats, notably hitting five goals in nine minutes as a second-half substitute against Wolfsburg with the team trailing 1-0.

He has finished as the Bundesliga’s top goalscorer three times and won the German league title on six separate occasions. 

At 30, he has a few more years left in him and will hope to add to his collection of silverware this season.

However, his former club Dortmund currently lead his Bayern side by two points as they capitalised on a slow start from the reigning champions to surge ahead, and while Lewandowski and Co. have gone on a fine run to catch up, their 1-1 draw away at Freiburg, coupled with Dortmund’s 2-0 away win over Wolfsburg, sees Bayern trail by two points.

They meet in a crunch tie on April 6 that could go a long way towards deciding the eventual champions, and Lewandowski will certainly hope to get one up over his old team-mates.