'Robert Lewandowski Is The Best Player In The World, Not Lionel Messi'

Robert Lewandowski is the best player in the world ahead of Lionel Messi - according to Bayern Munich legend Lothar Matthaus.

The Polish striker has been phenomenal this season, notching a ridiculous 53 goals in 44 games in all competitions for the Bavarian outfit.

He will be hoping to add to his Champions League tally of 13 strikes this season when he comes up against Messi's Barcelona in Friday's quarter final.

But World Cup winner Matthaus is in no doubt that there is no better player than Lewandowski on the planet at present.

Speaking to Bild, he said: "Messi faces his successor as the best player in the world: Robert Lewandowski. He is the best player, not just the best forward.

"The Barca of today is no longer the same as before. They have Messi, of course. A player like him is always capable of genius.

"But he alone will not be enough against this Bayern. Barcelona do not scare me."

Image: PA

Messi has still scored 43 goals and has 25 assists despite it not being his finest individual season - largely because of the ludicrously high standards he has set in previous years.

Many felt Lewandowski was on his way to winning a first ever Ballon d'Or win prior to the award being scrapped due to the impact of coronavirus - a decision that Rio Ferdinand feels is "cruel" on the former Borussia Dortmund striker.

Speaking exclusively to SPORTbible to promote the Champions League's return on BT Sport, Ferdinand said: "I think on form, he's the best player in the world at the moment.

"I think he was the main candidate to win it. I feel quite gutted for him really that he's not got it, I think he'll be sick.

"It seems quite a cruel thing to do I believe. I think Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi have had their hands on it for so long, Luka Modric came in and had a year.

"I think Lewandowski has been one of them players just under Messi and Ronaldo in terms of quality, that next band of players that have been waiting.

"He's had the chance to do it, he gets there, then they take it away from him."

Topics: Football News, FC Barcelona, Football, Robert Lewandowski, Lionel Messi, Champions League, Bayern Munich

Josh Lawless

Josh is a sports journalist who specialises in football and wrestling. He has been published by Curzon Ashton FC, Late Tackle, Manchester City FC, The Mirror, Read Man City and Manchester Evening News. He provides coverage of professional wrestling and has interviewed some of the biggest names in the field - including the first UK interview with The Hardy Boyz after their return to WWE. He has never sported a pair of Lonsdale Slip-ons, contrary to reports.

@https://twitter.com/JoshLawless_