Barca striker Robert Lewandowski expected to miss Copa del Rey final

Barcelona, April 20 (IANS) FC Barcelona striker Robert Lewandowski has sustained an injury to the semitendinosus muscle in his left thigh. The Polish forward is expected to be ruled out for the Copa del Rey final against Real Madrid on April 27 (IST).

Although the club has not given a timeline for Lewandowski's return but is expected to be ruled out for two to three weeks and could also miss their semifinal clash against Inter Milan, with the first leg slated to be played on May 1 (IST).

"Tests carried out this Sunday have confirmed that first-team player Robert Lewandowski has an injury to the semitendinosus muscle in his left thigh. His return to team training will depend on how the injury progresses," read the statement by the club.

As a result of the injury, the leading goalscorer was unable to round off his 100th La Liga appearance with a goal. A milestone he reached in his third season in the Catalan capital, having started in Barca’s epic comeback in the 4-3 win over Celta Vigo on Saturday.

The Galician side managed to keep the Polish striker at bay during the 77 minutes he was on the pitch. He had his chance right at the start of the match, with a curling shot that didn’t quite come off and could have been his 100th goal in an FC Barcelona shirt.

Lewandowski is enjoying his most prolific season in a Barca shirt. Across 48 appearances in La Liga, the Champions League, the Copa del Rey and the Spanish Super Cup, he has scored 40 goals: 25 in La Liga, 11 in the Champions League, 3 in the Copa del Rey and 1 in the Super Cup.

His 25 goals in the league put him in first place in the race for the Pichichi trophy. He has three more than Kylian Mbappe, nine more than Ante Budimir, and ten more than both Raphinha and Oihan Sancet. Time will tell just how far the FC Barcelona striker—now a La Liga centurion—can push his goal tally.

--IANS

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