Bayern Munich Teammates Lewandowski & Gnabry Favored to Be Top UCL Scorer Ahead of Group Stage Matchday 3
By John Dillon in Soccer News
Updated: April 22, 2020 at 9:43 am EDTPublished:
- Polish striker is on a roll with 19 goals in total this season
- Matched record of scoring in eight straight Bundesliga matches
- Teammate Gnabry hit four in Matchday 2 demolition of Spurs
Bayern Munich are on a goal-scoring spree this season both in European competition and at home in Germany.
The Bavarian giants were the leading scorers in the Champions League with 10 strikes ahead of Tuesday’s Matchday 3 tie against Olympiakos. They have scored 22 times in eight Bundesliga fixtures.
It has catapulted their prolific striker Robert Lewandoski into the favorites position in the race to finish as the competition’s top marksman ahead of pre-season choice Lionel Messi, who has endured fitness problems.
Polish international forward Lewandowski is now rated at +500 to win the accolade.
His teammate Serge Gnabry is in second place in the odds at +600 after a four-goal riot against Tottenham Hotspur on Matchday 2.
UCL 2019-20 Top Scorer Odds
| Team | Current UCL Goals | Odds |
|---|---|---|
| Robert Lewandowski | 3 | +500 |
| Serge Gnabry | 4 | +600 |
| Cristiano Ronaldo | 1 | +800 |
| Lionel Messi | 0 | +800 |
| Mohamed Salah | 2 | +800 |
| Erling Braut Haaland | 4 | +1200 |
| Sergio Aguero | 0 | +1200 |
| Luis Suarez | 2 | +1400 |
| Raheem Sterling | 1 | +1400 |
| Timo Werner | 2 | +1800 |
*Odds taken at 2019/10/22
Barcelona’s Messi has yet to score in Europe this season and is now priced at +800. Fellow superstar Cristiano Ronaldo – who has scored once for Juventus – is the same price along with Mo Salah of Liverpool.
In fact, Gnabry’s four goals put him one ahead of Lewandowski after two UCL games.
Haaland a Surprise Joint-Leader
A surprise name joined Gnabry on four goals – Erling Braut Haaland of Red Bull Salzburg while Mislav Orsic of Dinamo Zagreb has scored three times..
Barcelona’s Luis Suarez and Salah were among 11 players with two goals after two matches.
Lewandowski is the Bundesliga’s leading scorer with 12 goals this season. He has hit three in the UCL. And he has scored once in Germany’s cup competition, the DFB-Pokal.
Yuri Semin (Lokomotiv Moscow's Coach):
“Nobody has been able to stop Ronaldo yet in his career, so why ask me how to do it?" pic.twitter.com/pKZqFUEFJ3
— The CR7 Timeline. (@TimelineCR7) October 21, 2019
In international football, he hit a hat-trick in Poland’s 3-0 defeat of Latvia earlier in October.
With 22 Bundesliga goals last season and eight in the UCL, this is no flash in the pan for Lewandowski.
After his goal in the 2-2 draw against Augbsurg last weekend, he had scored in a record-equaling eight consecutive matches in Germany’s top flight.
With 22 Bundesliga goals last season and eight in the UCL, this is no flash in the pan for Lewandowski. It is instead a consistent improvement on an already glittering record.
Bayern are rated at third favorites to win the UCL in one sportsbook at +650. So Lewandowski looks a good prospect to finish as leading scorer, with his personal price an inviting one.
Barcelona are second favorites but Messi already has some catching up to perform.
Big Opportunity in Greece
With Bayern top of UCL Group B and Olympiakos in bottom place, Lewandowski has a good opportunity to increase his tally on October 22, at Georgios Karaskakis Stadium, Piraeus, at 3:00 pm EST.
German international Gnabry hit the headlines when he scored four times in Bayern’s 7-2 demolition of Spurs.
He had scored twice in the Bundesliga after seven appearances and once in the DFB Pokal.
Manchester United are facing competition from Manchester City in the race to land Norwegian hotshot Erling Braut Haaland from RB Salzburg. (The Mirror) pic.twitter.com/7SCrSoGWlc
— Transfer News Central (@TransferNewsCen) October 18, 2019
He had scored three times in four appearances for the German national team this season.
The Argentine failed to find the net in Barca’s opening two UCL fixtures.
Messi was the leading scorer in the UCL in 2018-19 with 12 goals.
However, the Argentine failed to find the net in Barca’s opening two UCL fixtures.
He played only 31 minutes of the opening goalless draw at Borussia Dortmund after coming on as a substitute short of proper match fitness.
He played the full period in the 2-1 defeat of Inter Milan but did not score.
Second Goal in La Liga
After his second La Liga goal of the season in the 3-0 defeat of Eibar last weekend, he has the chance to improve his UCL tally away against Slavia Prague on Wednesday, October 23, at Eden Arena, Prague at 3:00 pm EST.
He has been troubled by injury early in the season and missed Barcelona’s opening four games in La Liga.
For the first time, Antoine Griezmann, Lionel Messi & Luis Suárez all score in the same game for Barcelona. 💥💥
Ominous for the rest of Europe? 🤔 #UCL pic.twitter.com/NHKDLNX3Ob
— UEFA Champions League (@ChampionsLeague) October 19, 2019
Ronaldo had scored once in the UCL for Juventus in the 3-0 defeat of Bayer Leverkusen on Matchday 2.
He had struck four times in Italy’s Serie A in seven games. But his team are favored only sixth to win the UCL.
The two surprise players at the top of the charts – Haaland of Salzburg and Orsic of Zagreb – are with teams unlikely to go deep into the competition.
Pick: Lewandowski +500
Sports Writer
John Dillon is a leading member of the UK's sporting media, having spent three decades as a national newspaper soccer and sports writer, broadcaster and author. He has covered five World Cups, six European Championships and was Chief Sports Writer at the Daily Express for 14 years.
