Robert Lewandowski Injury: Progress, Potential Return Date for Barcelona Striker
Robert Lewandowski controls all the controllables.
This is a character who sleeps on his left hand side to preserve the muscles in his right leg, who maintains a 6% body fat while on holiday and eats his dessert first to aid his digestions (clearly skipping a sweet treat hasnât been tested yet).
This obsessive preparation is a large reason why Lewandowski remains one of the worldâs best strikers even at the age of 37. Despite playing a more limited role, often off the bench, Barcelonaâs prolific Pole boasts 11 goals from just 10 league starts.
However, even Lewandowski canât guard against bad luck.
As he pivoted to spin in behind Villarrealâs backline during Barcelonaâs final game of February, the No. 9 ran straight into Pau Navarroâs shoulder. There was no sense of malice, just plenty of misfortune as Lewandowski tumbled to the floor clutching his cheek.
The grizzled professional shook off the pain to see out the game, which inevitably ended with a well-taken goal, but subsequent tests have prompted Barcelona to issue an official injury update confirming that Lewandowski will have to be sidelined.
The day after Barcelonaâs 4â1 win over Villarreal on Feb. 28, the club released a medical report revealing that Lewandowski had fractured his eye socket.
Across a career as long as his, Lewandowski has suffered through plenty of ailments. More than a decade ago, the lean forward crashed violently into Borussia Dortmund goalkeeper Mitch Langerak while playing for Bayern Munich and was left with a broken nose and fractured jaw. Lewandowski sat out just one match.
Thanks to the introduction of a specially made mask he was fit enough to line up against Barcelona for the 2015 Champions League semifinal. Bayern were obliterated 3â0.
Lewandowski struggled in that contest and would later reveal how difficult he found it playing with face protectionâwhich may be what lies in store for the forward again this year. âWhen I had to wear a mask myself, it wasnât nice,â the Pole would reflect years later.
âItâs quite annoying, especially in the penalty area, I had problems, I didnât react, I couldnât see, my field of vision was hampered ... Itâs a few milliseconds but it can slow down a player. Itâs a challenge, itâs not pleasant.â
Despite these difficulties, Lewandowski still managed to score against Barcelona in the second leg of that Champions League semifinal.
Upon the announcement of Lewandowskiâs injury, Barcelona confirmed that their center forward would not be available for the following clash with Atlético Madrid in the Copa del Rey semifinal second leg.
Trailing 4â0 after a spectacular collapse in the first fixture at the Metropolitano, Barcelonaâs attempts to pull off an unlikely comeback would not have been hurt by the presence of a player with more than 700 senior goals to his name.
However, there is a chance that Lewandowski could return in some capacity for Barcelonaâs league meeting with Athletic Club on Saturday, per MARCA. The same report stresses that both the player and club consider the first leg of the Champions League last 16 against Newcastle United on Tuesday, March 10 to be the âmain objectiveâ for his return.
