Lewandowski desperate for long-awaited Cech mate

London - Robert Lewandowski is more determined
than ever to get a goal when Bayern Munich face
Arsenal in their return Champions League game
because he has never scored against their keeper
Petr Cech.
The 33-year-old Czech international, who denied
Lewandowski with two outstanding saves in the
second half of Arsenal's 2-0 win over Bayern in a
pulsating Group F match on Tuesday, has
thwarted Lewandowski on four occasions, three
times in internationals and again at Arsenal.
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"I have never yet managed to score a goal
against him," Poland striker Lewandowski, who
had scored 22 goals in his last 16 matches for
club and country, told Reuters.
"Not a single goal. And that is despite facing him
when Poland have played the Czech Republic at
international level as well. It is one of those
quirks you get in football.
"He is an absolutely excellent goalkeeper. But it is
good to immediately have another chance to try
to beat him in the coming weeks, with Arsenal
visiting Bayern, and in another Poland match
against the Czech Republic next month.
"That match is only a friendly but there is a big
rivalry between us and it will be an important
part of both our preparations for Euro 2016."
Bayern play Arsenal on Nov. 4 in Munich, followed
by the international on Nov. 17 in Wroclaw.
Lewandowski has been in blistering form this
season with some stunning strikes to make him
the hottest forward in Europe.
But his personal favourite is probably one of the
least attractive goals of his career, a scrambled
prod over the line in the dying seconds for
Poland's equaliser in their 2-2 draw against
Scotland in a Euro 2016 qualifier in Glasgow this
month.
"The goal in Glasgow was very special as it
meant so much to the team," he said.
"It was the last kick of the match and it
completely changed the mood in the squad. It
gave us the platform to then complete
qualification against Ireland in Warsaw."
IMMENSELY PROUD
Lewandowski, Poland's captain, is immensely
proud of having secured a place at the Euros in
France next year, the first time he has been part
of a team qualifying for a major tournament.
His only previous participation was at Euro 2012,
which Poland co-hosted with Ukraine. Poland met
the Czechs in a group match, when he again
failed to score against Cech in a 1-0 defeat in
Wroclaw.
"It is a very good feeling to have qualified now
because you already have something tangible in
your pocket early in the season, with also
something to look forward to at the end of it," he
said.
"But we can't be satisfied with that alone. We
have to challenge ourselves to keep improving."
However, it is his club that Lewandowski
acknowledges as the source for his sustained
improvement over the last year.
As well as his growing maturity and confidence
since getting the Polish captaincy, he feels he is
now reaping the benefits of joining Bayern.
"When you train every day at Bayern with the
level of players we have and the level of coaching
staff we have, you cannot help but become a
better footballer," he said.
"I haven't got the words to express exactly how
much I appreciate what I have gained from being
at Bayern," Lewandowski added.
"Playing for Bayern there is a very high standard
to maintain. There are huge expectations on us.
You have to try to perform at a high level and win
every match, every competition you play in. It is
immensely demanding, but also very
exhilarating."