Xavi’s team watched with concern as the season started with a troubling mood for the Polish striker in Barcelona, amid questions about how his form would endure the rigors of another campaign.
Robert Lewandowski’s numbers in Barcelona’s 2-0 victory over Cádiz were not alarming in isolation. He did not find the net, but he produced five attempts, connected on one, and contributed an assist. Yet the performance left observers uneasy. The veteran forward spent little time inside the opposition penalty area and squandered several promising openings, underscoring a broader narrative about his output so far this term.
In a game that could have changed momentum, Lewandowski found himself largely peripheral as Barca chased a decisive strike. Pedri and Ferran Torres supplied the goals, while the Polish captain lingered on the fringes of the action. This scene fit a pattern that has some pundits raising cautions about the aging striker, who turned 37 recently and is now navigating the late prime years of a prolific career. The concern is not merely a single missed chance but a trend: a dip in high-quality chances converted and a dwindling incision in front of goal as the calendar advances.
As the season unfolds, Barca faces a delicate balance. The team relies heavily on Lewandowski for goal threat, and the departure of Ousmane Dembélé — who contributed a dozen goals last season — has intensified the spotlight on the board and coaching staff to lift the production without a ready-made, proven replacement. While the exciting but untested Brazilian teenager Vitor Roque looms as a potential breakthrough, January could bring an opportunity for him to step up. For the moment, Lewandowski’s form is the fulcrum around which Barca’s title ambitions sway, and the club will be keen to see him rediscover his sharpness before the campaign gathers pace.