Robert Lewandowski’s standing as one of many best ever strikers at membership stage is unquestionably undisputed after a record-breaking season with Bayern Munich.
With 66 targets in 119 video games for Poland, his standing within the worldwide sport is well-established, too.
Except, possibly, in a single respect.
Lewandowski has but to flip it on at a serious event. In reality, with solely two targets in 11 matches at both a World Cup or a European Championship, theres an argument he has underperformed on the most important stage for Poland.
Maybe that can all change at Euro 2020 and he may hardly have picked a kinder opponent to begin in opposition to.
Polands opening Group E sport at the continent-wide event is on Monday in opposition to Slovakia, a nation seemingly on the slide after making its debut look at each a World Cup and the European Championship since 2010.
Its precisely the kind of workforce Lewandowski needs to be focusing on to enhance his underwhelming scoring numbers at main tournaments at 32, he would possibly solely have yet another in him and he couldnt be in higher form to achieve this if his type for Bayern is something to go by.
He simply broke the Bundesligas 49-year-old document for targets in a season, with 41 in 29 appearances for Bayern. In the Champions League, he’s now third within the all-time checklist for targets behind solely Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi. He has handed the 550-goal mark at membership stage.
But, after all, Poland isnt Bayern Munich. Lewandowski hasnt acquired the provision line he has for his membership, explaining why targets turn into scarce at main tournaments even when they proceed to move freely in qualifying and pleasant matches.
And there can be a fair better reliance on Lewandowski at Euro 2020 with strikers Krzysztof Piatek and Arkadiusz Milik dominated out of the event due to damage.
As a consequence, Piotr Zielinski, a midfielder at Italian workforce Napoli, may line up alongside Lewandowski however drop deep extra typically in try to hyperlink up play.
Slovakia is one other workforce with one standout, however Marek Hamsik isnt the participant of outdated. The playmaker as famend for his Mohawk as his potential on the ball turns 34 in July and has disappeared from the scene over the previous two seasons, having ended his 11-year spell at Napoli in 2019 to be a part of Chinese membership Dalian.
In March, he moved to Swedish workforce IFK Gothenburg to get extra enjoying time forward of Euro 2020 however the accidents have restricted his involvement.
Still elegant on the ball, there are doubts about how a lot affect Hamsik can have in opposition to the extra high-profile opponents and Slovakia is in fairly a troublesome group, with Spain and Sweden as future opponents.
This can be Slovakias third look at a serious event since turning into an impartial nation in 1993, and the category of 2021 will do effectively to observe its predecessors in advancing from the group stage.
That occurred at the 2010 World Cup, which was notable for Slovakias 3-2 win over Italy, and at Euro 2016. Hamsik scored essential targets within the group stage in each of these tournaments, which ended for Slovakia in last-16 exits, whereas enjoying in a sophisticated midfield function. He might sit deeper this time in an effort to orchestrate play.
Slovakias latest type isnt nice, nonetheless, solely qualifying for Euro 2020 by the playoffs after which failing to beat each Cyprus and Malta early in World Cup qualifying.
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