Robert Lewandowski warmed up for next week’s meeting with former club Bayern Munich by scoring a magnificent hat-trick in Barcelona’s crushing Champions League win over Viktoria Plzen.
The 34-year-old Poland forward demonstrated his value by making it eight goals in five games since leaving Bayern in July.
Lewandowski, who helped Bayern win the competition in 2019-20, marked his first Champions League appearance for Barca with a clinical finish which doubled the lead after Franck Kessie had headed the hosts ahead.
He then made it 3-1 on the stroke of half-time with a header after Ousmane Dembele did well to win back possession before producing a fine cross.
Viktoria Plzen had briefly given their travelling fans from the Czech Republic something to cheer when Jan Sykora headed past Marc-Andre ter Stegen, but Barca – and Lewandowski – proved far too strong.
Lewandowski completed his hat-trick after 67 minutes following an assist by former Manchester City forward Ferran Torres, who added the fifth.
“Lewandowski showed his class tonight. He is rightly considered one of the best forwards in the world,” said Viktoria Plzen boss Michal Bilek. [BBC]