Poland national team coach Jan Urban has expressed his shock at Robert Lewandowski’s recent hamstring injury, admitting he does not fully understand how the veteran forward got hurt.
The news comes at a difficult time for Barcelona, who have been heavily affected during the international break with injuries to Dani Olmo and Ferran Torres.
Lewandowski suffered a muscle injury in his left thigh while on international duty, prompting concern from both his club and national side. Urban reflected on the situation, stating,
“I’m surprised by Robert’s injury. He indeed felt something, but for me, with a torn muscle, it’s impossible to play.
“It prevents you from running at high speed. I don’t understand it.
“Robert and I agreed with the doctor that if he felt anything, he would raise his hand, and we would make the substitution. But he held out without any problems until the end.”
Would not risk Lewandowski
Urban also explained that Lewandowski had been rested in the first friendly match against New Zealand to preserve him for the qualifier against Lithuania.
“He was in perfect condition, he didn’t play against New Zealand because we decided so. We wanted to give other players a chance.
“I was thinking about some scar tissue from a previous injury. I was a player once and when there’s a muscle injury, they stop. I don’t understand that injury.”
Robert Lewandowski will miss four to six weeks of action. (Photo by Angel Martinez/Getty Images for Qatar Airways)
The Poland coach defended his approach to player health, stating,
“I would never risk the health of any player. That always comes first. There are many games to play; it’s not worth playing injured.
“I would like to have Lewandowski available for the next break, so I wouldn’t risk his health. We know how important he is to Barça and to us.”
Careful management key for Lewandowski’s career
While some reports suggest Lewandowski could be out for four to six weeks, Urban believes the injury may not be that serious and expects a quicker recovery, though he “does not want to get involved in medical matters.”
Urban acknowledged the challenges of managing an ageing striker while praising Lewandowski’s scoring ability.
“I don’t know how they see Robert. Whether they have talked about managing him or not, he’s 37 years old. Normally, he can’t play every three games. But that’s up to Barça.
“What I do know is that if the team creates chances, Robert scores goals. He does it like the best in the world.
“I think he looks good physically. We don’t know if his injuries are due to age or overexertion. Everyone has to look at both sides. We have to be careful,” he concluded.
Barcelona will be monitoring Lewandowski closely as they aim to balance his fitness with the demands of both domestic and European competitions.
Source: SPORT
