Robert Lewandowski faces Tottenham in the form of his life while Harry Kane could ignite his side’s season by slaying Bayern Munich… the outcome of Tuesday’s clash rests between two of Europe’s finest strikers
- Robert Lewandowski has scored 10 goals in his first six Bundesliga matches
- At 31, time is running out for Lewandowski to win the Champions League
- Harry Kane, meanwhile, can help Spurs make a statement against Bayern
Time is now of the essence for Robert Lewandowski and it appears that a sense of now or never has provoked a fiercer ruthless streak within him than ever before.
The Poland striker, now 31, set a new Bundesliga record this weekend with his 10th German league goal in only the sixth game of the campaign so far. He has 12 goals in all competitions.
When he lines up at the Tottenham Hotspur stadium on Tuesday, he’ll look across at Harry Kane and know that they hold the outcome of the Group B game.
Robert Lewandowski has scored 12 goals in all competitions for Bayern Munich this season
Harry Kane will spearhead Tottenham’s attack against Bayern on Tuesday evening
The closest Lewandowski has come to winning the tournament was in 2013, when his Borussia Dortmund side who were managed by Jurgen Klopp were defeated 2-1 by Bayern in the final at Wembley.
It is a record that mirrors Kane, of course, after Klopp’s Liverpool went one better than his 2013 Dortmund side in Madrid last June against Spurs.
And Bayern were defeated 3-1 by Liverpool on their way to glory last season. Lewandowski’s side looked to be creaking then – the core of the squad, with the likes of Frank Ribery, Mats Hummels, Manuel Neuer and Lewandowski himself all had hit, or passed, 30.
It feels like a different side that he spearheads now. Behind him, an ever-improving Serge Gnabry lines up alongside Kingsley Coman and, of course, former Liverpool man Philippe Coutinho.
Gnabry and Coman are young, dynamic wingers and Coutinho, of course, is in Germany with a point to prove after failing to integrate at Barcelona.
Lewandowski came closest to Champions League glory in 2013 at Borussia Dortmund
It is the same for Kane after Tottenham lost the Champions League final in June
He would be forgiven for watching Liverpool’s success last season and wondering if he made the right decision to leave Anfield when he did.
Lewandowski’s record at Bayern is simply stunning – 212 goals have come in 290 games – and he will be adamant that his age is not yet a barrier to what he can still achieve.
For Kane and Tottenham it is a little different. Kane is only 26 and other shots at Europe’s major title will surely fall his way. That said, he was unfit when he started Tottenham’s Champions League final and his presence, if anything, hindered their display.
It is something that, on the continent, Kane may feel a need to make amends for. There has been a disjointed start to Tottenham’s 2019-20 season. Defeats by Leicester and Newcastle were jarring and so too was the 2-2 draw with Arsenal, as Tottenham were 2-0 up.
Lewandowski has enjoyed some fine form alongside new team-mate Philippe Coutinho
A major display from Kane could help Tottenham to kick-start their 2019-20 season
A major display from Kane and a victory for Spurs could be just what their season needs to catch fire.
It might be early for omens but the more optimistic Tottenham fans will recall that the last time they played Bayern Munich, it was en route to their last European trophy in the 1984 UEFA Cup.
For Lewandowski, Champions League glory would cap a glittering career where he has won seven Bundesliga titles and three German Cups. And if he is as savage in front of goal on Tuesday as he has been so far this season, Tottenham’s season could be veering towards the rocks.