Lewandowski ready to help Barcelona fulfil 'huge potential' and get back to winning titles

Polish striker was speaking ahead of the pre-season friendly against Juventus in Dallas, Texas

Barcelona's Robert Lewandowski during training in Dallas ahead of their friendly against Juventus. EPA

Robert Lewandowski during Barcelona's training session in Dallas, Texas, on Monday, July 25, 2022. EPA

Barcelona's Robert Lewandowski, left, Ansu Fati, Jordi Alba, and Gerard Pique, right, train in Dallas. EPA

Robert Lewandowski trains for the friendly against Juventus in Dallas. EPA

Ronald Araujo during Barca's training session ahead of the friendly against Juventus at the Cotton Bowl in Dallas. Getty

Sergio Busquets takes part in a training session. Getty

Ousmane Dembele and Gerard Pique during training. Getty

Alejandro Balde during Barcelona's training session. Getty

Barcelona players warm up during a training session. Getty

Barcelona manager Xavi Hernandez oversees a training session. Getty

Robert Lewandowski said he is setting his sights on nothing less than success and titles at Barcelona and hopes his experience can help take the club to a new level.

Lewandowski joined Barcelona last week from Bayern Munich in a deal reported to be worth around €50 million, with the prolific Polish striker signing a three-year contract.

The 33-year-old forward takes him with to Barca a wealth of experience in winning major titles and scoring goals on the biggest stages. Across 12 years in Germany - the first four with Borussia Dortmund before joining Bayern - Lewandowski won 10 Bundesliga titles, four German Cups, and the 2020 Champions League.

The Pole's goals were critical to that success: Lewandowski scored 447 goals in 562 games across all competitions for Dortmund and Bayern, while his 312 Bundesliga goals places him second on the all-time list, behind only Gerd Muller's 365.

Lewandowski is now part of a Barcelona squad whose only trophy in the past three years has been one Copa del Rey and finished last season's La Liga campaign 13 points behind rivals Real Madrid. But Barca are investing heavily in improving their squad this summer, and Lewandowski believes his experience can help his teammates achieve great things this season.

"I hope so, yes," he said during a press conference ahead of Barca's pre-season match against Juventus in Dallas, Texas. "In my head it's always to win games and score goals and it doesn't matter who we are playing against or even in a training session.

"In the team I see a lot of things like that; young guys very hungry to show their skills and best performances, so I'm very glad to be here and part of this team. I see huge potential and I hope all together we get better."

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Lewandowski is set to form a new-look forward line at Barcelona, which will include fellow new signing Raphinha, signed from Leeds United earlier this month.

The Brazilian winger has already started encouragingly, with goals in each of Barca's two pre-season matches so far, including the winner in the 1-0 win against Real Madrid, and Lewandowski is confident he will quickly strike up an effective partnership with Raphinha and the rest of his teammates.

"Raphinha is a top player with huge quality and I think all of Barcelona's forward players have a great connection from the first training session," he said. "We have some young players with huge potential and I know that football language is easier to understand when you have this quality."

Turning 34 next month, Lewandowski is approaching the latter part of his career and there have been some questions over why Barcelona would offer a long-term contract to a player of his age - even a player that has achieved so much. However, Lewandowski insisted he has plenty more left in the tank.

"My body feels very good and I'm not thinking yet about how many years I can still have at the highest level," he said. "This is only age. Last time I did a test of my body, it's younger than my age so I hope I can play many more successful years."

Barcelona manager Xavi Hernandez said the chance to sign Lewandowski was too good to pass up, and he expects the Poland captain to have a massive influence on his squad, both through his performances and his leadership.

"If you have the opportunity to sign this kind of player - not only a big star but he is humble, professional, a top player in his position - he is helping us a lot," Xavi said. "The team is growing a lot with the signing of Robert Lewandowski so I'm very happy to have him in the squad."