Reborn Lewandowski aiming to inflict more pain on Dortmund

He left the Signal Iduna Park at the age of 25, back when he was a young lad playing with the mentality of a veteran. He now returns to his former home at 36, as a veteran playing with the energy of a young lad. As Robert Lewandowski approaches the 40-year mark, he has turned into a more prolific and sharper version of the goalscorer that first entered the international spotlight over a decade ago with the Black-and-Yellows.

40 is not only the age he will soon reach, but also the goals he has scored with Barcelona this term. Back in his Bayern Munich days, the 40 goals he netted in 2020/21 also became the least he has ever scored in a campaign with the German giants. But it is also a sum that he has never been able to pass with Borussia Dortmund and Barca.

Returning to the Signal Iduna Park is something he has already gotten used to, as Tuesday's Champions League quarter-final second-leg will be his 15th as a visitor -  he played 90 fixtures as a host. But it is only his second as a 'Blaugrana' player - his first was in the 2-3 victory in the league phase of the top club continental competition earlier this season.

Inflicting pain on his former side is also something he has enjoyed doing since departing in 2014. The Poland striker has scored 29 goals in 29 appearances against Borussia Dortmund, with 10 of those coming in his 14 visits to the stadium formerly known as Westfalenstadion. Only in the league phase match earlier in December did he fail to score against them. Having registered 11 goals and 1 assist in his last 7 games against Niko Kovac's side, it is safe to say fans will be fearing the worst from Lewandowski for the upcoming clash.

On course to break records

At 36 years of age, Lewandowski is experiencing his seventh-best goalscoring season. He is one goal away from equalling his sixth best (2017/18), two from his fifth (2015/16) and three from his fourth (2016/17). His all-time best record is of 55 goals, which he bagged in 2019/20, the year he was destined to win the Ballon d'Or, but missed out on it after the award was suspended due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Getting to that milestone would be sensational for him.

Lewandoski's most prolific campaign with Dortmund was in 2012/13, finding the back of the net 36 times from 49 games. In comparison, he has registered 4 more goals in 3 fewer games this season. He has also surpassed his personal record of 10 goals in a Champions League edition with BVB, set in that same season (2012/13), after scoring his 11th in the first leg of the quarter-final tie at the Montjuic. The No. 9 is now eyeing to match his best-ever tally of 15 goals in 2019/20.

Looking at the statistics, it can already be said that Barcelona's Lewandowski is a better goalscorer than Borussia Dortmund's Lewandowski. He is two goals away from being a centurion with the Catalans after 141 appearances, something which he has achieved with both Bayern (344 goals in 375 games) and 'Die Schwarzgelbenhe' (103 goals in 187 games).