In an enthralling encounter against Benfica, Barcelona fought back from a 4-2 deficit in the dying minutes to secure a dramatic 5-4 victory. Robert Lewandowski played a pivotal role, scoring twice from the penalty spot and equaling Cristiano Ronaldo’s longstanding Champions League record, surpassing Lionel Messi along the way.
Lewandowski’s first penalty came in the 13th minute, leveling the score at 1-1 after a foul on Alejandro Balde. The second came in the second half, with Barcelona trailing 4-2. After Lamine Yamal was brought down in the box, Robert stepped up again, calmly converting to bring his tally to 19 penalty goals in the competition.
With these two strikes, Lewandowski now shares the record for most penalty goals in Champions League history with Cristiano Ronaldo. The Polish striker has overtaken Lionel Messi, who previously held second place with 18 penalty goals.
The three superstars dominate the penalty scoring charts, with a significant gap to the next closest contender. Former Argentina striker Sergio Aguero sits fourth with 11, while Harry Kane, Luis Figo, and Ruud Van Nistelrooy are tied with 10.
Cristiano Ronaldo of Real Madrid clashes hands with Robert Lewandowski of Bayern Munich after a UEFA Champions League match on April 18, 2017.
Lewandowski’s Champions League legacy
Lewandowski’s prowess in the Champions League is undeniable. Over the past 15 years, he has amassed remarkable numbers with Borussia Dortmund, Bayern Munich, and now Barcelona. His consistency on the European stage has propelled him into third place on the all-time Champions League goal-scoring list.
Cristiano Ronaldo leads with 140 goals, followed by Lionel Messi with 129. Lewandowski, with 103 goals, is firmly in third position. What sets him apart is that, unlike Ronaldo and Messi, Robert remains active in European competition, offering him the opportunity to continue breaking records as long as he maintains his current form and Barcelona progress deep into the tournament.
Barcelona through to the Round of 16
Barcelona’s stunning victory over Benfica ensured their place in the Champions League knockout stage, as they secured second place in their group with 18 points from six wins and one loss. They trail only Liverpool, who won all seven of their group-stage matches.
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This is a crucial achievement under the revamped Champions League format, which grants direct qualification to only eight teams for the round of 16. The next best 16 teams in the standings must navigate an additional elimination phase to reach that stage. Now, Barcelona will avoid that extra challenge and will be able to shift their focus to improving their La Liga performance, where they currently sit third behind Real Madrid and Atletico Madrid.
