Karim Benzema could have a new rival in La Liga next season

The Frenchman finished nine goals clear of his nearest rival in last season’s list of top-scorers.

Robert Lewandowski plans to prove he is better than Karim Benzema, according to his former agent Cezary Kucharski.

The 33-year-old striker wants to leave Bayern Munich, and as widely reported in the media, favors a move to Barcelona. He wants to depart from Germany a year before his contract ends. However, to get a deal done, Barca may need to pay a transfer fee of around €60 million.

But if the Catalan giants can get one over the line, they’ll have a world-class hitman in his prime and motivated to prove himself in a new rivalry with Real Madrid’s star forward Benzema.

“He wants to show he is better than Benzema, that’s another reason to go to Barca”, Cezary Kucharski told SER.

“Bayern know he wants to go to Spain. His plan was always Germany, then Spain, and to finish his career in the United States.”

Robert Lewandowski's desire to play for Barcelona is to show he is "better" than Karim Benzema, says his former agent Cezary Kucharski.

— Bolarinwa Olajide (@iambolar) June 28, 2022

Lewandowski vs Benzema in 2022/23

Benzema enjoyed the finest campaign of his career to date last season. The Frenchman supplied 44 goals and 15 assists in 46 appearances across all competitions to help Real Madrid claim a domestic and European double.

He also topped the goal charts in La Liga, finishing nine goals above Celta Vigo’s Iago Aspas with 27 strikes to his name in 32 matches.

Lewandowski, on the other hand, finished as the Bundesliga’s top-scorer for the fifth season in a row. The Pole scored a brilliant 35 goals in just 34 league games for Bayern. In all competitions, he tallied 50 goals and seven assists in 46 appearances.