Liverpool warned to watch out for ‘best No 9 in world Lewandowski’ by legend John Barnes ahead of Bayern Munich clash
The Polish striker has scored 25 goals this season, helping Bayern close the gap to Bungesliga leaders Borussia Dortmund
LIVERPOOL legend John Barnes has warned his former club to beware of the "best No9 in the world" Robert Lewandowski when they host Bayern Munich on Tuesday.
But the 55-year-old thinks the Reds are the favourites of the eagerly-anticipated Champions League tie, claiming the German giants seem not as determined as they have been in the past.
Bayern had a difficult first half of the season as they entered the winter break in the Bundesliga trailing Borussia Dortmund by seven points.
But the German giants have won every game since the German top-tier resumed in January, scoring 19 goals in six games.
Lewandowski has netted three of them and added five assists - taking his tally up to 25 goals this season.
And Barnes, who won two league titles and the FA Cup during his 10-year spell at Anfield in the '80s and '90s, has alerted Liverpool to the dangers of the Polish striker's goal-scoring prowess.
He told : "When the ball comes into the box from crosses and set pieces, he’s incredibly dangerous and a goal poacher, who is always going to cause teams problems.
"Even though Bayern may not be the team they were, you have to be very careful when the ball gets into the box.
"Lewandowski for me is the best classic number nine in the world."
Barnes, however, claims he would rather play alongside Reds current striker Roberto Firmino, who - apart from scoring - regularly helps his team-mates get on the scoresheet.
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He added: "Lewandowski would be similar to playing with John Aldridge, he’d be scoring more, and I’d be supplying.
"But, for selfish reasons, I’d much rather play with Firmino as he’d make me score more goals.
"If Lewandowski played with Salah and Mané, he’d probably score more goals than Firmino; but then Salah and Mané wouldn’t get as many."
Barnes also thinks Liverpool are the favourites to advance from their last-16 Champions League clash because of the Reds' pace and determination - compared to Bayern's ageing and seemingly burnt-out squad.
He said: "This is the first time that I would make Liverpool favourites, if you had to play Bayern in the last four to five years compared to playing them now, they don’t seem to have the same drive and determination that they had previously.
"Liverpool have too much pace for them, the game will be won on strength, hunger and determination of which Liverpool have in abundance.
"Bayern aren’t as dominant in the Bundesliga and have a number of old players in their squad.
"Of course, they are still a fantastic team, but they don’t seem to have the same dynamism as we’ve seen in the past with Robben and Ribery."
John Barnes, speaking exclusively for bookmaker comparison platform