Can Lewandowski break his Champions League knockouts goal drought vs. Chelsea?

Robert Lewandowski has not scored a Champions League knockout stage goal since February of 2018, when he scored in Bayern’s 5-0 rout of Besiktas in the first leg of their round of 16 tie. He’s had six separate occasions since then; two legs against Sevilla in 2018, two legs against Real Madrid in 2018, and two legs against Liverpool in 2019, totaling a goalless 597 minutes.

The last eighteen goals that Lewandowski has scored in the competition have all come from the group stages. He’s currently joint top-scorer in the competition with Borussia Dortmund’s (and formerly of RB Salzburg) Erling Haaland at ten goals apiece. The Polish ace has no problem scoring goals in the Bundesliga, where he currently is leading the race for this season’s Torjägerkanone with a tally of 25 and is still on pace to equaling or surprass Gerd Müller’s single-season record of 40 goals.

Photo by Angelika Warmuth/picture alliance via Getty Images

Lewandowski will have his first chance at breaking out of his knockout-stage slump in Bayern’s first leg against Chelsea this evening at Stamford Bridge. Before the Bayern squad boarded the plane to fly to London yesterday, Karl-Heinz Rummenigge was asked about Lewandowski’s knockout-stage drought. He said (Bild),

We don’t need to discuss Robert. He is absolutely world-class. He saved us on Friday evening [3-2 win vs. Paderborn] with his two goals, so that we still secured the three points.

Hansi Flick also backed the Polish international, arguing he’s in the best shape and form of his life:

Robert is currently in the form of his life. He is very confident, in top condition. He’s on a run at the moment. Of course we hope that he demonstrates that against Chelsea.