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Mehmed Kodro, the former striker for both Barcelona and Real Sociedad, as well as the former coach of Bosnia-Herzegovina, has shared his insights on Robert Lewandowski’s impressive recovery under the management of Hansi Flick at Barcelona.
He confidently predicts that Lewandowski could score around 30 goals this season. In a recent interview with the Polish edition of Goal (h/t SPORT), Kodro expressed his belief that despite Lewandowski’s age, he remains one of the top five strikers in the world.
“Lewandowski is still definitely among the 4 or 5 best strikers in the world,” he began by saying.
Kodro highlighted Lewandowski’s remarkable achievements in La Liga and the Champions League, where he netted 12 goals and maintained an average of over one goal per game, which is a remarkable accomplishment.
He emphasized that age is not a concern for Lewandowski, stating that we are witnessing his best performances in the last couple of years.
“In my opinion, we are seeing the best version of Lewandowski in 2 or 3 years.”
Best time of his career
Robert Lewandowski is on a scoring spree. (Photo by Aitor Alcalde/Getty Images)
Kodro attributes Lewandowski’s successful run, even at 36, to several key factors. He noted Lewandowski’s innate quality as a player but also emphasized his excellent physical preparation.
Lewandowski appears to be dynamic on the field, and each goal seems to boost his confidence. He is fortunate to be playing alongside teammates like Lamine Yamal and Raphinha, who complement his playing style.
“He is surrounded by players in great form, such as Lamine Yamal and Raphinha, who can play well with him. In general, Barcelona as a whole, are playing very well.”
The overall performance of Barcelona as a unit has been impressive, allowing Lewandowski to thrive as the focal point of the attack. If this momentum continues, Kodro believes scoring 30 goals in La Liga is well within reach for him.
“It is clear that Lewandowski feels very good as the leader of the attack. If he continues like this, he could easily score 30 goals this season in La Liga.”
Lewandowski’s contribution
Mehmed Kodro predicts 30 goals for Lewandowski. (Photo by David Ramos/Getty Images)
Furthermore, Kodro praised Hansi Flick’s contributions to the team. Apart from a couple of setbacks against Osasuna and AS Monaco, Barcelona has been performing well.
“There is a dynamic in this team, there is balance, self-confidence, and awareness of what you want to play. This team has more character than last season’s team.”
Kodro mentioned that the team exhibits a positive dynamic, showing balance, self-assurance, and a clear understanding of their game plan. He feels this Barcelona squad has more character compared to the previous season.
“It is obvious that the fact that he has previously worked for Flick helps him a lot. It is visible to the naked eye.”
Barcelona playing better than Real Madrid
Lewandowski has scored more than the matches he has played. (Photo by Juan Manuel Serrano Arce/Getty Images)
Kodro also expressed a preference for Barcelona over Real Madrid at this point in the season. While he acknowledged that it is still early in the campaign, he believes Barcelona has made a stronger impression thus far.
“Of course, you can say that this is just the beginning of the season; But as we are evaluating here and now, the answer is yes. At this point, Barcelona leaves a better impression.”
However, he cautioned that Real Madrid boast some of the world’s best players and will undoubtedly contend for the title. He anticipates that the championship race will likely remain close between these two clubs until the very end.
“It is known that Madrid will also fight for the title, everything indicates that it will be decided between these two teams.
“However, it seems to me that this time the fight for the championship can last a long time and, in my opinion, the points difference between these teams will not be big until the end.”
Lewandowski vs Mbappe
Robert Lewandowski is in better form than Lewandowski. (Photo by David Ramos/Getty Images)
When comparing Lewandowski to Kylian Mbappe, the rising star of Real Madrid, Kodro noted that while they are different players with unique qualities, both excel at scoring goals.
“They are different players, but they are both incredible. They have different characteristics, but scoring goals is not difficult for them.”
He praised Mbappe’s remarkable speed while highlighting Lewandowski’s prowess as one of the world’s top offensive players in the box.
“Mbappe has incredible speed, but Lewandowski, in turn, is one of the world’s top 2-3 offensive players in the box. I don’t know who will win this race, but I think both will finish the season with the same number of goals.”
Champions League success
Regarding Barcelona’s aspirations in the Champions League, Kodro mentioned that the team always aims for silverware.
Kodro feels that Barcelona are on the right track to reclaiming their status among the elite clubs globally and reaching the Champions League semi-finals would be a significant success for them this season.
“It can be said that Barcelona is back at the forefront of the biggest clubs in the world. They are starting to settle economic matters, they have a very good team, they are showing off to the young people.
“But to answer your question, I think reaching a Champions League semi-final would be a success for Barcelona.”
Finally, he expressed admiration for young talent Lamine Yamal, highlighting the extraordinary skills he showcased last season at just 16 or 17 years old. Kodro hopes Yamal continues to flourish, as his performances are a joy to watch.
“He’s incredibly good. What he did last season… A boy of 16-17 years old. We rarely see something like this in football. I hope it continues like this because watching it is pure pleasure,”
