Bundesliga
Lewandowski and Gnabry Europe’s most prolific duo
Bayern Munich attackers Robert Lewandowski and Serge Gnabry are the most prolific strike pairing in in Europe, streaks ahead of their closest competitors across the continent’s top five leagues.
Both players found the target in Bayern’s impressive 3-0 victory away to Chelsea in the first leg of their UEFA Champions League last-16 tie on Tuesday, with Gnabry posting a brace and Lewandowski rounding off the scoring with his 11th goal in the competition in 2019/20.
As such, the Polish forward now has 39 goals across the Bundesliga, Champions League and DFB Cup for Bayern this season, while Gnabry’s haul stands at 17, giving them a combined total of 56.
Watch: All of Lewandowski’s goals in 2019/20 Hinrunde goals
For context, the next most free-scoring pairing in Europe is RB Leipzig duo Timo Werner (27) and Marcel Sabizter (13), who have registered 40 goals between them.
They are followed by Paris Saint-Germain’s Kylian Mbappe – who has 22 goals in league, cup and European outings this term – and Mauro Icardi (16), for a combined total of 38. That figure is equalled by Lazio’s Ciro Immobile (30) and Felipe Caicedo (eight), and Inter Milan pairing Romelu Lukaku (22) and Lautaro Martinez (16).
"Robert is in the form of his life," Bayern head coach Hansi Flick said of his star striker prior to the Chelsea match and before news of his four-week spell on the sidelines broke.
“He’s also a team player who tracks back and covers in defence. I don't know how many goals he's scored this season off the top of my head, but he's right up there.”
Watch: Gnabry's Bundesliga Mixtape
Lewandowski’s injury-enforced absence means the others now have the opportunity to catch up, but will come as a bitter blow to the forward himself, who was on course to equal Gerd Müller’s legendary single-season 40-goal mark established in the Bundesliga in 1971/72.
The 31-year-old has already sent a number of records tumbling this season, including becoming the first player in the league’s history to score in the first 11 consecutive games of a campaign, while he is also the league’s all-time highest scoring non-German player, with 227 goals in just 313 outings.
Gnabry, seven years Lewandowski’s junior, has proved that winning Bayern’s Player of the Year award for 2018/19 was no fluke and has continued to torment defences this term. His goal in the 3-2 win over Paderborn on Matchday 23 means he has reached double figures in the Bundesliga in each of the past four seasons.