Robert Lewandowski continued to assert his importance to Barcelona, ​​breaking legendary Johan Cruyff’s goalscoring record despite playing nearly half as many matches.

In the opening match of the 2023/2024 La Liga season , Robert Lewandowski once again proved his great value to Barcelona. The Polish striker scored a crucial double, helping his team win against Valencia away at Mestalla.

However, what is more remarkable is that with these two goals, Lewandowski has officially surpassed the scoring record of legendary Johan Cruyff at Barcelona.

In just 96 games for Barcelona, ​​Lewandowski has scored a total of 61 goals. This has surpassed Johan Cruyff’s record of 60 goals – which took him 180 games over five seasons to achieve. This shows the Polish striker’s incredible scoring efficiency, as he only needed nearly half the number of games as Cruyff to break this record.

Lewandowski has scored 61 goals for Barca. Photo: Getty.

Despite both being excellent players, Johan Cruyff and Robert Lewandowski had different roles and playing styles on the pitch. Cruyff was known as a versatile ‘number 14’, often coordinating play from different positions on the pitch. He was not only a sharp striker but also a talented conductor, with an excellent ability to create chances for his teammates.

Meanwhile, Lewandowski is a pure striker, with a remarkable ability to score goals. He often moves into the opponent’s penalty area, taking advantage of every opportunity to score. This difference partly explains Lewandowski’s higher scoring efficiency compared to Cruyff.

The Polish striker has officially surpassed Cruyff in the number of goals scored for Blaugrana. Photo: X.

Lewandowski breaking Cruyff’s record is all the more significant given the context of the game. It was the opening game of the new season, away at the Mestalla – one of the toughest venues in La Liga. The pressure of the opening day combined with the challenging away environment could not stop Lewandowski.

In addition, Barcelona faced many personnel difficulties in this match. Due to injury problems and limited salary budget, the Catalan team was forced to use a young squad. In that context, Lewandowski’s role as an experienced player became even more important. And the Polish striker did not disappoint the team’s trust when he took on the responsibility of scoring.

With his latest brace, Valencia have become one of Lewandowski’s favourite targets in La Liga. In total, he has scored six goals against the team. This has been accumulated over three seasons: one in his first season, a hat-trick in his second, and now two in the opening match of his third season.

Valencia is the team Lewandowski has scored the most goals against in La Liga. Photo: Getty.

Before meeting Valencia, Celta Vigo and Elche were the two teams Lewandowski scored the most goals against in La Liga, with 4 goals each. However, with the latest double, Valencia has taken the lead in the list of “victims” of the Polish striker in the top flight of Spain.

Since joining Barcelona in the summer of 2022, Robert Lewandowski has quickly become one of the team’s most important players. Not only does he score regularly, he also brings stability and valuable experience to Barcelona’s attack.

Breaking the record of Johan Cruyff – one of the greatest icons in the club’s history – is the clearest testament to Lewandowski’s enormous influence.

With his current form, Lewandowski can be expected to continue breaking many more records in the future. This will not only help him consolidate his place in Barcelona’s history but also contribute to the overall success of the Catalan team in the upcoming season.