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| Image Credit-sportbible |
On April 24th, 2013, Robert Lewandowski made Champions League history by becoming the first player to ever score a hat-trick past Real Madrid.
Real have an incredible history in the Champions League, the La Liga club is 13 times European champions, have won it seven times in the modern guise and won it three times in a row from 2016-2018.
However, eight years ago, Lewandowski destroyed some of their histories in the competition as he broke their streak of never conceding a hat-trick.
The then Borussia Dortmund forward didn’t stop at three though, the Polish strike grabbed four goals, netting three in 17 minutes at one point, as Dortmund won 4-1!
His performance on the night was an absolute masterclass!
Lewandowski’s four-goal performance against Real Madrid in 2013 😍😍😍
⚽️0⃣8⃣
⚽️5⃣0⃣
⚽️5⃣5⃣
⚽️6⃣6⃣#UCL pic.twitter.com/XWbe15E3OB
— UEFA Champions League (@ChampionsLeague) August 21, 2019
“That was like Robin Hood taking from the rich,” grinned Jurgen Klopp afterward, as the Bundesliga side, all but ended the semi-final in the first leg.
Real boss Jose Mourinho could only admit defeat, saying, “It is obvious that the best team won.”
When you’ve run Jose out of excuses, you’ve completed football!
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| Lewandowski celebrates making it 2-1. Image: PA Images |
The 24-year-old opened the scoring after just eight minutes when he lost marker Pepe and slotted home at the back post from Mario Gotze’s expert cross.
Dortmund was dominant and should have extended their lead. Still, before half-time, things were level, and Real had a potentially devastating away goal, as Cristiano Ronaldo scored his 50th Champions League goal.
Rather than make Klopp’s side retreat, it only spurred them on. A burst of goals from Lewa all but took the tie away from Mourinho’s visitors.
The striker made it 2-1 five minutes after halftime, getting on the end of Marco Reus’ shot to poke home, and rounded off the hat-trick when he collected another errant shot and slotted home in brilliant fashion to make history.
He added his fourth from the penalty spot and, despite two late goals in the second leg, Dortmund made it to the final, where they lost to Bayern.
Those goals came for Bayern Munich, the club that fought off competition from Man United and Real themselves to sign Lewandowski that summer – and the team that eventually beat Dortmund in the 2013 Champions League final.
But for many football fans, the most iconic Lewandowski image is him in neon yellow, putting the kings of Europe to the sword in front of Dortmund’s noisy home support. Absolute scenes – especially when you consider the 2020 equivalent is a big-haired Rob on TikTok, showcasing his unusual dance moves.
Come back soon, European football.
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