Barcelona manager Xavi Hernandez has revealed who he thinks are the best three centre-forwards in European football currently.
The 42-year-old was speaking after the Blaugrana hammered Viktoria Plzen 5-1 in their UEFA Champions League Group C encounter at Spotify Camp Nou on Wednesday night.
Barça rode on the brilliance of Robert Lewandowski, who marked his Champions League debut for the club with a stunning hat-trick. Franck Kessie and Ferran Torres scored the remaining two goals on either side of the Poland international’s treble.
After the match, Xavi was asked if he thought Lewandowski was the best striker out there currently. The manager initially stated that the 34-year-old superstar was certainly the best centre-forward for Barcelona.
“I don’t know if Lewandowski is the best striker in Europe, but he is the best striker for us,” Xavi said initially.
But he then named Lewandowski as one of the three top goalscorers in the game currently, alongside Real Madrid superstar and Ballon d’Or favourite Karim Benzema and Manchester City hitman Erling Haaland.
“Lewandowski… who else? Benzema too. I think they’re the best right? Haaland too. But it’s difficult to compare them,” he later added.
Lewandowski has had a terrific start to life as a Barcelona player after joining the club from Bayern Munich this past summer.
The 34-year-old has already plundered eight goals in just five games across all competitions and is certain to be in the mix for the Golden Boot award come the end of the season along with the aforementioned Haaland and Benzema.
