FC Barcelona began the 2024/25 Champions League season with a sensational 1-2 defeat to AS Monaco. The sensation is of course smaller when it turns out that Barca had to play with “ten men” from the 10th minute after Eric Garcia's red card. Hansi Flick's team was dominated by the hosts, and this also translated into Robert Lewandowski's performance, which was unanimously picked up by the Spanish media.
“Erased”, “lost”, “lonely”. Yes, that's about Lewandowski in the match against Monaco. An interesting scene with the participation of the Pole
Only the Catalan “Sport” decided to give FC Barcelona players their marks, the vast majority of whom received a “5” (on a scale of 1-10). Among them was Robert Lewandowski, who was described as “lonely”. According to the daily, only Lamine Yamal, Marc Casado and Pau Cubarsi deserved a “7”.
“The red card was crucial to the course of the match and Lewandowski received fewer passes than usual, which is understandable. In Yamal's goal, he opened up space for the Barcelona graduate to shoot from a good position, but he was unable to give the team much more. He was punished in a way by Flick looking to play on the counterattack,” the justification reads.
“Erased” – this is how the Pole was described by the daily “Mundo Deportivo”. “Lost between the defenders, he hardly showed up in the attack. This time he had to work a lot in defense” – it was commented.
However, Madrid's “Marca” notes Robert Lewandowski's behavior after Lamine Yamal's equalizing goal. “Yamala's goal brought an interesting and very significant scene, when the Barcelona players did not let themselves be carried away by euphoria, and Lewandowski used the players' meeting to talk to the team. The Pole took responsibility for the team and delivered a message to his teammates who were suffering on the pitch.”
The editor of the daily “AS” did not mince his words about the captain of the Polish national team. “He disappeared with a great deal of resignation. When balls do not reach him in the penalty area, his influence on the game is zero. He spent too much time on the pitch,” it was written.
The Spanish media also note that by substituting Robert Lewandowski and Lamine Yamal in the last quarter of an hour, Hansi Flick threw in the towel in this match, seeing that it was much closer to a third goal for Monaco than an equalizer for Barcelona. According to the Spaniards, with the score at 2:1, this may be surprising, but in the long run, every moment of rest for key players may be beneficial, as Barca have a difficult league match against Villarreal on Sunday, and then play every three days until the October international break.
Barcelona's away league match against Villarreal will take place on Sunday at 18:30. Barca's next Champions League match will be on October 1, when they will host Swiss side Young Boys Bern.