Barça striker Robert Lewandowski just seems to get better with age. The Polish striker came back into the starting XI for the first time since his return from injury against Celta Vigo on Sunday in the Estadio Balaídos and responded by scoring a hat-trick in the team's 4-2 win in La Liga to show the world that the 37 year old still has a big role to play this season for Hansi Flick's side. 

Balaídos masterclass

The Barça number 9 made his first start for the blaugranes in over a month in Balaídos after recovering from a hamstring injury picked up on international duty with Poland in October. The striker kept the Celta defence on their toes and his penalty opened the scoring in just the 10th minute of the game. Still in the first half he turned home an excellent cross from Marcus Rashford on 37 minutes to restore Barça's lead before half time. 

Lewandowski's hat-trick came from a typically clever header in the second half, flicking on Rashford's corner beyond the dive of Celta keeper Radu and in off the far post. A real striker's effort. 

Stats like few others

The Polish international striker's hat-trick brings his total to seven in La Liga this season with only Real Madrid's Kylian Mbappé, who has 13, ahead of him in the race to be pichichi. His total for Barça now reads 108 goals in just 159 appearances, taking past the 105 goals scored by Neymar on the all time list. 

Hat-trick for the history books

At 37, Lewandowski is now the fourth oldest player ever to score a hat-trick in La Liga behind Jorge Molina, Joaquín and Alfredo di Stefano. Furthermore, he became just the second Barça player to score a hat-trick away at Celta after César's achievement 80 years previously. 

The Pole's three goals helped Barça to a valuable win before the international break, cutting Real Madrid's lead at the top of the table to just three points ahead of the blaugranes return to action in La Liga on Saturday 22 November at home to Athletic Club. 

 

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