Barcelona forward Robert Lewandowski has revealed that he is suffering from a back problem following a challenge from Eder Militao. The Polish striker does expect to be fit for Barcelona’s next game against Getafe, but says he played through serious pain against Girona.
During the Copa del Rey tie between Barcelona and Real Madrid at Camp Nou, Lewandowski went down in pain after Militao’s knee went into his back. He played 90 minutes against Girona on Monday, but was not comfortable.
“I knock against Madrid, but I always want to play. In the second half against Madrid it was difficult. I had to ask for the change,” Lewandowski admitted during a charity event in Barcelona, as covered by MD.
Militao lesionó a #Lewandowski en el pasado clásico de Copa del Rey con esta entrada criminal, muy parecida a la de Zúñiga a Neymar. pic.twitter.com/Yrufi1QSez
— Josefa Pedrerol (@Josefa_Pedrerol) April 11, 2023
“Yesterday I woke up and couldn’t walk, but I tried to play without problems. We work with the physios. It’s part of football. I always try to be ready for my teammates. The good thing is in the next game I’ll be fine. On the field I have to play better, but that kick from Militao left my body in a bad way.”
Lewandowski admitted that performances had to improve at Barcelona – he himself was heavily criticised for his performance in their 0-0 draw with Girona.
There is a certain amount of concern growing around Lewandowski’s form on the whole, who has not looked the same since the World Cup. While his service has taken a serious hit, it’s also true that he did not look nearly as sharp in January before those injuries either. At 34, Barcelona will hope age is not catching up with him.