Robert Lewandowski, who was officially presented as a Barcelona's new No.9 on Friday, discusses about the El Clasico duel against Real Madrid and battle against Karim Benzema.
After joining Barcelona last month from Bundesliga winners Bayern Munich, Robert Lewandowski was formally introduced as a Blaugrana No.9 at Camp Nou on Friday. The Polish superstar spoke about the upcoming El Clasico clash this season against Real Madrid, but he made clear that he is not simply concerned with defeating Los Blancos or outscoring sensational striker Karim Benzema.
"I'm always ready to play against Real Madrid," Lewandowski said in his presentation. "I know how to play against them. Last season was very successful for them. We are here to beat them. We know it will be difficult, but this is football," the Poland international added.
"It's not just Real Madrid. You have to be always prepared because there are fantastic clubs. You have to always play at your best level. I know we will go out to win every game. It will be a challenge. I'm not thinking about Real Madrid or [Karim] Benzema. He's a fantastic striker who has been in LaLiga for years. It's important for me to play well against Barcelona and not against him," Lewandowski added.
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After a season without a single championship, Lewandowski made it plain that he wants to use his expertise to help Xavi Hernandez's team win trophies once more. "Age does not matter. It's just a number. I don't feel 33 years old. Physically I feel great, and I have been playing at the top level for years now. My experience can help the rest of the players to perform better. The team has a lot of talent and potential. The future will be brighter - right now, everything is going well, and we have to show we are in good shape from the start of the season," Barcelona's new No.9 stated.
After having his first chat with Xavi, Lewandowski realised that the Catalan coach was the right person to lead Barcelona to glory. "After a few minutes, I knew the idea he had in mind. I understood exactly what he wanted from me. The system and the tactics. After that, I felt a connection. He has a clear idea and knows what he wants and how he wants it. I think he is the right person," the Polish talisman concluded.
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