Barcelona's Ferran Torres (L) fights for the ball with Real Madrid's Vinicius Junior during their clash at the Estadi Olimpic Lluis Companys in Barcelona, Spain, October 28, 2023. /CFP
If you weren't a die-hard football fan and happened to witness Robert Lewandowski for the first time, you might find yourself questioning how such an inept and blundering forward could possibly grace the ranks of Spanish La Liga's defending champions. That's just how far Barcelona's highest-paid megastar has fallen from his once lofty standards.
After finishing as the top scorer last season, Lewandowski has only netted eight goals in the league so far this campaign. It's truly perplexing how he's managed to make a hash of almost every scoring opportunity presented to him. The Polish striker seemed destined to continue his poor form against Osasuna on Thursday night, wasting tons of glorious chances.
Yet, lo and behold, he suddenly rediscovered his mojo on one occasion and scored the opening goal in a 2-0 victory in the Spanish Super Cup semifinal, setting up Barcelona a final showdown with their arch-rivals Real Madrid, who had previously triumphed in an eight-goal thriller against Atletico Madrid.
Barcelona's Robert Lewandowski reacts to a missed chance during their Spanish Super Cup clash with Osasuna at the Al-Awwal Park Stadium in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, January 11, 2024. /CFP
Once Lewandowski made the breakthrough, both he and Barcelona could let out a collective sigh of relief. As Lamine Yamal sealed the win in the dying minutes of added time, the football giants finally put an end to their embarrassing streak. It had more than three months since they last secured a victory by a margin greater than a single goal, dating back to September.
It was no easy feat. In the first half, Barcelona dominated the ball, yet despite their possession, they struggled to breach their opponents' resolute defensive line. The coveted openings that Barcelona yearned for refused to materialize, and whenever they seemed poised to exploit a gap, both Lewandowski and his strike partner Ferran Torres squandered the opportunity.
However, it was around the hour mark that the true Lewandowski emerged. Receiving a precise pass from Ilkay Gundogan, he shrugged off the challenges of two defenders with sheer strength before unleashing a piercing strike into the bottom corner of the net. As he slid to his knees in celebration, one could discern a glimmer of relief and catharsis in his demeanor.
Barcelona's Lamine Yamal celebrates his late goal during their Spanish Super Cup clash with Osasuna at the Al-Awwal Park Stadium in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, January 11, 2024. /CFP
Barcelona maintained control over the remainder of the game, yet Osasuna displayed resilience and refused to surrender. Ante Budimir's attempt was thwarted by Barca goalkeeper Inaki Pena, and then Andreas Christensen had to intervene to intercept a cross from Kike Barja intended for Budimir.
Throughout this season, Barcelona have often scored the opening goal only to suffer a late, devastating blow. However, this time around, Osasuna failed to apply enough pressure to force a leveler. Xavi Hernandez's team even added a cherry on top of the cake as the 16-year-old prodigy Yamal confidently slotted home his first goal in nearly three months, courtesy of a clever assist from Joao Felix.
The recent inconsistency of Barcelona should not diminish the fact that the club has triumphed in the Spanish Super Cup a record-breaking 14 times. They will relish the opportunity to recreate last season's tale and emerge victorious once more against Real Madrid in the final on Sunday. The key, however, lies in the ability of Lewandowski to rise to the occasion.