Robert Lewandowski sends defiant warning to Erling Haaland and other young guns

Robert Lewandowksi has insisted that he is ‘still here’ and is not fazed by the new generation of strikers – including Manchester City’s Erling Haaland.

Lewandowski won the Gerd Muller award at the Ballon d’Or this year, but Manchester City star Haaland looks well-placed to beat the Barcelona striker to the trophy next year.

Lewandowski though is confident he will continue to hit the goals trail for Barca as they look to retake the La Liga title. While Haaland will be formidable competition, the Barca star insisted that he had not said his “final word” in the race for the Golden Boot.

Speaking upon collecting his award, the 34-year-old said: “The season is very long. For me it’s also a new chapter with Barcelona and since the first day, I am feeling very well in this club. I can see it is there for me, the big challenge. I feel very well, I see that with my teammates that we have such big potential.”

“I have the opportunity to score a lot of goals and I am sure that altogether we are working on this. This is football. You have to be always ready. I know that the new competition is also coming but still, I am still here and I didn’t said my final word yet.”

Lewandowski has started the new season for Barcelona on good form with nine goals in nine league games – proving to the football world that he is still here.

The Poland captain also spoke about how important winning an award named after Gerd Muller is to him.

‘I am very happy and glad and proud not only to win but because also of the name of this trophy. Gerd was a huge inspiration,’ said the former Bayern Munich striker.

‘Before the season, I wanted to be closer to him, and I always wanted to break some of his records. It was always a huge challenge.

‘It was very emotional to score 41 goals in Bundesliga because I did not think it was possible to break this record. Everything I did was for him.’