Three in-house Robert Lewandowski alternatives for Barcelona

An intimate look at three players who can step in for Robert Lewandowski at Barcelona in the next few games.

Barcelona gave their attack a shot in the arm when they brought in Robert Lewandowski from Bayern Munich in the summer transfer window ahead of the 2022/23 season.

The Polish ace has been a runaway success at Spotify Camp Nou, netting 18 goals and providing four assists in 20 games so far. The focal point of the Barcelona attack, he has as many goals for Barcelona as their next five top scorers.

The 34-year-old’s sending-off against Osasuna earned him a three-match ban. While he controversially featured against Espanyol last time around, the Spanish administrative tribunal of sport (TAD) reviewed Barcelona’s appeal and have decided to uphold the striker’s three-game ban. Lewandowski now stands to miss the games against Atletico Madrid, Getafe and Girona.

Lewandowski’s ban is limited to just the league, and he is free to feature in the Copa del Rey and the Supercopa de Espana. But his absence could impact Barcelona’s grip on the top spot in La Liga as they head into the second half of the campaign.

Ahead of their trip to the Civitas Metropolitano to face Atletico Madrid, the Catalans are ahead of defending champions and arch-rivals Real Madrid only on goal difference. Had it not been for Lewandowski’s goals, one could argue that they would not be going neck to neck in the race for the title.

The onus is now on Xavi Hernandez to come up with a solution to counterbalance his star striker’s absence. While Barcelona do have several players to call upon, none of them have replicated the Polish striker’s killer instinct in front of the goal so far.

The next three games allow the Blaugrana to test out alternatives and maybe even put in a plan B for future contingencies. There is still much to play for this season, and Barcelona cannot afford to put all their eggs in one basket. The Hard Tackle looks at three players who can step up and make themselves count in Lewandowski’s absence.

The veteran: Memphis Depay

The Dutchman was Barcelona’s go-to goalscorer in La Liga last season and ended the 2021/22 campaign with 12 strikes in the Spanish top flight. Any hopes he had of pushing on were swiftly shackled by the arrival of Lewandowski last summer.

Depay has spent the majority of the 2022/23 campaign as a fallback option, limited to just 206 minutes of action, spread across four games in all competitions. The 28-year-old, to his credit, has a single goal to his name, albeit a far cry from the numbers he put up last season.

A capable finisher who is also fluid enough to drift out wide, Depay is less of a centre forward and more of a roving attacker who can thrive in a fluid system. Given that he has started up front for the Netherlands on numerous occasions, he is a reliable option for Xavi in the coming weeks.

However, the cons include the lack of match fitness and perhaps even form. Depay has looked a pale shadow of himself for both club and country in recent months, including this week’s 4-3 win over CF Intercity in the Copa del Rey.

The 28-year-old is also heavily linked with a return to Manchester United, the club where he spent 18 months from 2015-2017. Now managed by compatriot Erik ten Hag, a return to the Theatre of Dreams could be the beginning of the player’s redemption arc.

Although Xavi recently admitted that Depay remains an important player for Barcelona, the words will matter for little unless he is played regularly. At the very least, the next few games should act as an audition for the Dutchman, perhaps prompting Manchester United to make their move.

The logical choice: Ferran Torres

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The former Manchester City man’s time at Spotify Camp Nou can be described as ‘inconsistent’ in a nutshell. His return of five goals and one assist across 20 games in all competitions this season is decent but not prolific.

Capable of playing anywhere along the frontline, Torres has played as the centre forward just twice, with the remaining games coming out wide on either flank. A good passer who is also adept in the air, the 22-year-old is arguably the best choice to take Lewandowski’s slot.

Not only is he match fit but is also aware of the system Barcelona play. Torres led the line for Pep Guardiola’s Manchester City with relative success. And donning the role, this time for the Blaugrana will not be too difficult.

Torres is another player linked with a move to the Premier League. Both Arsenal and Tottenham Hotspur are keeping tabs on the player. And a strong showing in the next few games could see them solidify that interest.

Torres and Ousmane Dembele have five goals each and are Barcelona’s second top scorers this season. The latter is a winger and most effective on the flanks. This leaves Torres as the automatic choice to take Lewandowski’s slot up front. At the very least, the goalscoring numbers are in his favour.

Torres’s goal conversion rate of 21% is only behind that of Lewandowski among Barcelona stars with more than ten games played. He also averages a goal every 156 minutes, a number far superior to Ousmane Dembele. And much like Depay, a solid showing in Lewandowski’s absence might prompt Arsenal and Tottenham to step up their interest.

The wildcard: Ansu Fati

The graduate from La Masia has failed to kick on as expected this season but remains an integral part of Barcelona’s present and future.

A decent finisher, who is not afraid to have a pop at goal, Fati is a dynamic option who is better coming off the bench. His pace, coupled with the relentless movement makes him a difficult player to pin down, especially when the opposing defence is tired. 

His killer instinct in front of goal has been lacking this season as he has scored just three goals, despite having more shots than any other player at Barcelona apart from Lewandowski. More so, his lack of aerial prowess makes him a poor fit for the role of a lone striker.

The inability to hold the ball up should prevent the likes of Dembele and Raphinha from exploiting width on the flanks and getting into goal-scoring positions. But the dynamics could change in the second half if the game is more open. While Fati is capable of doing a job upfront, it would be in Barcelona’s best interests to bring him on as a substitute and sow chaos amidst a tiring opposition.