The French team faces Poland, this Tuesday in Dortmund (6 p.m.), during the last day of the group stage of Euro 2024. The opportunity for Kylian Mbappé and Robert Lewandowski to come face to face, before their expected clash next season in La Liga with Real Madrid and Barça.
Signal Iduna Park is a familiar place for Robert Lewandowski. The 35-year-old striker spent four seasons with the Dortmund team (between 2010 and 2014), scoring 103 goals in 187 appearances (in all competitions). He then often returned to the BVB compound with Bayern Munich. When it’s time to return to his old garden, the Poland center forward will be on familiar ground against the France team, this Tuesday (6 p.m.), during the last day of the group stage of the Euro 2024.
The opportunity to compete once again against Kylian Mbappé. Victim of a broken nose at the start of the tournament against Austria (1-0), the captain of the Blues, who remained on the bench on Saturday during the draw against the Netherlands (0-0), should be lined up with a protective mask in the BVB den. Hit in the thigh during preparation, Robert Lewandowski should also recover his starting place, after entering on the hour mark during the defeat against the Austrians (1-3).
Real’s Mbappé vs Barca’s Lewandowski
This will be the first clash between the two scorers since the announcement of Kylian Mbappé’s arrival in La Liga. The beginnings of a duel which will fascinate Spain in the months to come, against a backdrop of rivalry between Real Madrid and FC Barcelona. The new Merengue striker (25 years old) will be compared throughout the year to his Blaugrana counterpart, ten years his senior. Necessarily. Goals and assists will count, attitude and impact in the game too. Not to mention the clasicos which will allow them to compete head-on.
In the meantime, “Kyky” and “Lewy” will be able to measure themselves in the Rhur at the start of summer. Already qualified for the round of 16 of the Euro, the France team wants to finish at the top of group D ahead of the Netherlands, who will face Austria at the same time. Already eliminated, Poland will try to get their first points in the tournament. So as not to leave empty-handed.
This will not be the first clash on the international scene between Mbappé (79 caps, 47 goals) and Lewandowski (151 caps, 82 goals). The two stars crossed paths in the round of 16 of the 2022 World Cup in Qatar. The Blues won 3-1 in Doha thanks to a double and an assist from Mbappé. Lewandowski had reduced the gap in added time, before coming to congratulate his young tormentor at the final whistle.
Duels played in the Champions League
KM7 and RL9 have also played against each other several times in the Champions League. And it was again Mbappé who was the most prolific during their various duels (3 goals to 1). The first of them took place in September 2017 in the group stage. Paris corrected Bayern Munich at the Parc des Princes (3-0), with an assist from Bondy’s crack and a little festival in the area on Neymar’s last goal. Two months later, the Parisians lost in the cold of Munich (3-1), with Lewandowski opening the score and a headed goal from Mbappé.
PSG and Bayern met on August 23, 2020 for the Champions League final organized behind closed doors in Lisbon, due to the Covid pandemic. Kylian and Robert remained silent and the Bavarians shattered the great Parisian dream thanks to a goal from Kingsley Coman (1-0).
Injured during the reunion the following year, in April 2021, Lewandowski watched helplessly as Bayern were eliminated in the quarter-finals (2-3 at the Allianz Arena, 0-1 at the Parc des Princes). Always behind closed doors. He then joined FC Barcelona, before meeting Mbappé two months ago in the quarter-finals of the C1. Without managing to score against Gianluigi Donnarumma. Neither on the way there nor on the way back. His Parisian rival, on the other hand, scored a double during the stunning victory for Luis Enrique’s players at Montjüic (1-4). By celebrating without restraint in front of the Catalan socios.
Mbappé on better momentum
Overall, Kylian Mbappé remains in a more decisive 2023-2024 season than that of Robert Lewandowski. Best player and top scorer in Ligue 1 (27), he compiled 44 goals and 10 assists in 48 matches (all competitions combined). Barça’s number 9, under contract until 2026, has scored 26 goals and 9 assists in 44 matches (all competitions combined). With a fourth place in the ranking of the best scorers in La Liga (20).
