Barcelona left to rue missed chances as Bayern Munich comes out on top 2-0 in Champions League clash

14.09.2022 - 12:29 edition.cnn.com

By Matias Grez, CNNUpdated 0837 GMT (1637 HKT) September 14, 2022 Leroy Sané celebrates after scoring Bayern's second against Barcelona.(CNN)For eight seasons, Bayern Munich fans had become accustomed to watching Robert Lewandowski find the back of the net on almost a weekly basis.The Polish striker, one of the greatest forwards in the club's history, returned to the Allianz Arena on Tuesday for the first time since swapping Bavaria for Barcelona in the summer — and it wasn't quite the return he would have hoped for.Lewandowski missed a number of golden opportunities — one in particular in the first half, eight yards from goal, that he would usually score in his sleep — to leave the door open for Bayern to grab a crucial 2-0 win in this Champions League heavyweight clash.Second half goals from Lucas Hernandez and Leroy Sané secured the three points and extended Bayern's remarkable unbeaten run in the Champions League group stages to 30 matches, a streak that stretches back to 2017.Once Barça's «economic levers» had been activated to allow the club to register its summer signings, Lewandowski hit the ground running in his new home and bagged nine goals in six games prior to Tuesday's match.Read MoreREAD: How blind football is opening up new horizons for visually-impaired UgandansRobert Lewandowski had a bad night in front of goal.The 34-year-old received a relatively warm reception from the Allianz faithful on his return, but Bayern fans would have been as delighted as they were surprised to see their former hero miss so many chances.Profligacy in front of goal aside, there will be plenty of positives for Barcelona and its head coach Xavi to take away from the match, with the team competing for most of the 90 minutes

Football Barcelona on as Bayern Munich Robert Lewandowski Lucas Hernandez Leroy Sané Poland

Frenkie de Jong has revealed he “always wanted to stay at Barcelona” after being strongly linked to a move to the Premier League. Manchester United, Chelsea and Liverpool were all reported to be interested in De Jong, with new United boss Erik ten Hag particularly keen to rekindle his relationship with the Dutchman, who he worked with at Ajax. Ad Barcelona’s financial situation meant they were willing to sell De Jong, but he has stayed and is on a contract that expires in 2024.

Barcelona and Poland star Robert Lewandowski to wear Ukrainian armband at World Cup

By Issy Ronald, CNN

Robert Lewandowski: The path is shorter to the Ballon d’Or at Barcelona compared to former club Bayern Munich

Barcelona star striker Robert Lewandowski has said that he believes that the path to the Ballon d’Or is shorter at his new club than Bayern Munich. Lewandowski’s transfer from Bayern Munich to Barca was one of the biggest, and most drawn-out, transfers of the summer, with the Polish goalscorer swapping Bavaria for Catalunya in a deal reported to be an initial £42.5m.

European round-up: Lewandowski fires Barcelona top, Bayern Munich beaten

SPAIN

Robert Lewandowski Strikes Against Struggling Elche Earn Barcelona Top Spot

Relentless striker Robert Lewandowski pounced twice as Barcelona hammered 10-man Elche 3-0 to move a point clear at the top of La Liga on Saturday. The Polish forward continued his sensational form since joining from Bayern Munich this summer, with a brace taking him to 11 goals in eight appearances across all competitions. With Real Madrid, who boast a 100 percent record after five games, visiting Atletico Madrid in the Sunday night capital derby clash, this was a chance for Barcelona to provisionally depose their rivals for the first time this season, and they took it.