Barcelona forward sparks concern after asking for substitution with calf pain on international duty | OneFootball

Barcelona forward Robert Lewandowski once again delivered when his team needed him the most, ensuring Poland avoided an embarrassing start to their 2026 World Cup qualifying campaign.

However, his night ended on a concerning note as he was forced off with an injury shortly after scoring.

Poland faced a frustrating first half against one of the lowest-ranked teams in Europe. The tension inside Warsaw’s National Stadium was evident, with fans growing restless as the scoreline remained 0-0.

Just when frustration was turning into open criticism from the crowd, Lewandowski stepped up. In the 40th minute, he latched onto a well-placed pass on the edge of the box.

A slight deflection off a defender helped direct the ball into the net, finally giving Poland the lead. The goal not only secured an important win but also ended Lewandowski’s three-match goal drought for his national team.

Injury concern for the forward

Despite the joy of scoring, Lewandowski’s evening took a worrying turn. Moments after finding the back of the net, he signalled discomfort in his right calf and requested to be substituted.

The decision to come off raised concerns about his availability for upcoming matches. Although the injury initially appeared troubling, Poland’s head coach played down any major worries, stating that it was a minor issue.

“Lewandowski had a minor injury. But it’s nothing serious and I think he will be able to play in the next game,” he said after the game as quoted by SPORT.

Lewandowski himself reassured fans that it was nothing serious. He admitted to experiencing some discomfort in recent matches for Barcelona but insisted that stepping off was a precautionary move to prevent any further complications.

“I’ve had some problems for three games, but today it was better. In the end, it was better to let it go, so that nothing would get worse. I think everything should be fine. I hope it’s not a big problem,” he noted.