On Friday, FC Barcelona issued an official statement confirming that Robert Lewandowski had been sidelined with a muscle problem in his left thigh.
Although the club did not specify a recovery period, the discomfort was strong enough for him to be ruled out of Sunday’s Joan Gamper Trophy match against Como.
Lewandowski to be out for three weeks
However, now, according to AS, Lewandowski is set to miss the opening matches of Barcelona’s La Liga campaign due to the aforementioned discomfort.
As per the report, the current expectation is that the 36-year-old centre-forward could be sidelined for as many as three weeks, with a possible return only after the international break in mid-September.
Although not considered a serious injury, the issue is one Lewandowski has suffered before, prompting caution from the club, especially with the Polish forward nearing his 37th birthday.
KOBE, JAPAN - JULY 27: FC Barcelona's Robert Lewandowski arrives for the preseason friendly between Vissel Kobe and FC Barcelona at Noevir Stadium Kobe on July 27, 2025 in Kobe, Hyogo, Japan. (Photo by Paul Miller/Getty Images)
Lewandowski out injured. (Photo by Paul Miller/Getty Images)
As such, the veteran centre-forward has been ruled out for Barcelona’s league opener against Mallorca on 16 August, and his participation in the subsequent games against Levante and Rayo Vallecano remains uncertain.
Despite his age, Lewandowski is a critical part of this Barcelona team, adding value with his goalscoring ability and experience. As such, his absence in the early stages of the campaign will be felt.
Manager Hansi Flick will therefore have to turn to an alternative No. 9 for the opening few matches of the 2025/26 season.
Ferran Torres appears the most likely replacement for Lewandowski, though summer signing Marcus Rashford is another option, provided the Englishman is successfully registered in time without any issues.