Lewa embraces super-sub role to keep Barça fresh

Robert Lewandowski said Barcelona will be fresher when the big games come around this season after coming off the bench to spur his side on to a 3-1 win against Real Oviedo in LaLiga on Thursday.

Oviedo led 1-0 at the break but Barça flexed their muscles in the second half, bringing on Lewandowski and Frenkie de Jong to highlight the depth coach Hansi Flick has at his disposal.

Lewandowski, 37, scored Barça’s second goal as they kept within two points of leaders Real Madrid. It was the Poland striker’s LaLiga-leading third goal off the bench this season and he says he’s happy to play fewer minutes if it keeps him in better shape throughout the campaign.

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“We have so many games and the season is very long,” he told ESPN. “At the end of preseason I got injured, I was out for three weeks, but later I still felt that I couldn’t do everything 100%.

“Now I feel good physically. You have to be patient sometimes. Of course, for strikers it’s always better to play, but we have to be patient and think there are more games coming, more important games coming.

“We know that last season there were parts where we didn’t play well. I don’t want to say we were tired, but not so fresh. So we have to know being more fresh for the future means we have more opportunities to be a better team.”

Oviedo took a surprise first-half lead at the Carlos Tartiere when Alberto Reina lobbed into an empty net from 40 yards after a mistake from Barça goalkeeper Joan García.

Eric García drew Barça level from close range in the 56th minute and Lewandowski, coming off the bench for the fourth time this season, completed the turnaround with a stunning header from a De Jong cross in the 70th minute.

“I didn’t yet see the goal because when you’re on the pitch, you’re focused on your job,” Lewandowski added.

“I saw the corner or left side of post, I don’t want to say empty, but if I put the ball there I thought it’s possible. The cross is amazing and I know the space is there.

“It was a very important goal. I knew if I came on I had to do something, try and score the goal.”

Flick, who celebrated his 50th win in 67 games as Barcelona coach, praised the quality of Lewandowski’s contribution.

“It was important, this is what we know from Robert,” the Barça coach said in a news conference. “He’s one of the best in the world in the box. We’re happy we have him.

“I always say to the team, we start with 11 and finish with maybe five different players. The most important thing is everyone gives 100% for the team.

“When Robert comes on, you can feel he wants to change the result. Not only about the goal, but the dynamic it gave us in the match. It was great to see this.”

Flick also downplayed García’s error giving the ball away before the Oviedo goal — “it happens, it’s the style and how we want him to play” — and praised defender Ronald Araújo, who added Barça’s third goal late on, for his start to the season.

“Ronald is an important player for us and I am happy he scored a goal,” he said. “For him, maybe it’s a good step, for the belief in himself. This is for him the most important thing.

“I think he showed also this season that he is doing much better than last season. It’s normal. At the moment, everyone has the confidence and gives us a lot of options.”