According to reports, Lewandowski will have another chance to play in La Liga, though it remains unclear whether the Polish striker will reclaim his starting position under Hans-Dieter Flick or if the German coach will prefer to keep Ferran Torres in the lineup.

In any case, Lewandowski is eager to return to the pitch. He has missed Barcelona’s last three La Liga matches, during which Kylian Mbappé overtook him in the race for the Pichichi Trophy. The Real Madrid forward, who scored a hat-trick against Barça, now leads the scoring charts with 27 goals—two more than Barcelona’s striker. However, Lewandowski still has a chance to win La Liga’s top scorer award for the second time in his third season with Barça.

To achieve this goal, the player must reach a milestone he has long awaited: his 100th goal in a Barcelona shirt. He suffered a muscle injury in the closing minutes of the match against Celta Vigo and missed subsequent games against Mallorca, Valladolid, and the Copa del Rey final. Lewandowski was also absent from El Clásico, though he had previously returned to action in the Champions League against Inter Milan and played in extra time.

His absence from last Sunday’s match against Real Madrid could be seen as Flick’s strategy to preserve his fitness for the upcoming game. Or perhaps the German coach still doubts whether Lewandowski has fully recovered from his left thigh muscle injury.

In any case, Hans-Dieter Flick’s decision will not be easy in such a symbolic and high-stakes match. A game that, should Real Madrid slip up against Mallorca on Wednesday at the Bernabéu, could keep Barcelona’s title hopes alive.

Torres is in excellent form: three assists in the last El Clásico, a goal in the Copa del Rey final, and several other strong performances. Barcelona’s coach must weigh all these factors before deciding who will lead the attack in Thursday’s match.

For Robert Lewandowski, this will be his fourth appearance in a Barcelona derby and his second at the rival’s stadium. He made his first appearance at the Camp Nou after a provisional ruling by the Madrid High Court lifted his suspension by the Spanish Football Federation following his red card against Osasuna and his infamous nose gesture.

But in the return leg, which marked his last appearance at this stadium, he scored twice and played a crucial role in securing the La Liga title against their long-time rivals. Lewandowski undoubtedly hopes to repeat this success.