Bayern Munich’s Robert Lewandowski will prove to Barcelona’s Lionel Messi that he is the best player in the world when the two teams cross swords in the Champions League quarterfinal tomorrow night.
That’s the assessment from Germany legend Lothar Matthaus, who says Bayern will KO Barca in Portugal.
The ex-Bayern player and 1990 World Cup winner tells Bild: “Messi faces his successor as the best player in the world: Robert Lewandowski. He is the best player, not just the best forward.
“The Barca of today is no longer the same as before. They have Messi, of course. A player like him is always capable of genius. But he alone will not be enough against Bayern. Barca do not scare me."
Lewandowski is the runaway top scorer in this season’s competition with 13 goals, adding another double as Bayern battered Chelsea 4-1 on Saturday to cruise to a 7-1 aggregate win in the round of 16.
Messi has only scored three times in Europe, although he has matched Lewandowski’s total of four assists.
Lewandowski’s 53 goals in just 44 matches in all competitions helped Bayern to cruise to the Bundesliga title and win all six of their Champions League group stage games.
Messi has also been excellent in a more troubled season for Barca, netting 43 goals in 31 appearances.