Bundesliga
Lewandowski wants Bayern back-up
Robert Lewandowski is one of the very best and fittest strikers in world football, but that doesn’t mean the Bayern Munich talisman wouldn’t welcome a break - even if only to better work out how to score even more goals.
Poland captain Lewandowski scored 45 goals in all competitions for club and country last season, and featured in all but one of the Bundesliga champions' 34 league matches last term.
The ex-Borussia Dortmund striker has missed a measly 16 Bundesliga games since making his debut in BVB colours during the 2010/11 season, a testament to his professionalism and dedication to his fitness.
Watch: Robert Lewandowski's game analysed
That has enabled him to keep performing consistently at the very highest level, but since Sandro Wagner's departure for China in January and with 19-year-old new signing Jann-Fiete Arp still learning his trade, Bayern do not have the safety net of an experienced replacement should Lewandowski be sidelined.
As he prepares to turn 31 in August, he told kicker magazine he would welcome Bayern bringing in some back-up, even if his plan to take a breather means he will not simply be putting his feet up.
"If you've got the option of a second striker, that's better for the team and for me personally," said Lewandowski.
"I could watch some games from a distance and see how the team plays without me. I could take positives into the next game."
Lewandowski ended the 2018/19 season on 22 league goals to pick up the fourth Torjägerkanone as the Bundesliga's top scorer and passed Werder Bremen's ex-Bayern forward Claudio Pizarro as the German top-flight's all-time leading foreign-born goalscorer.