Following his incredible 41 goal season, Robert Lewandowski will be eyeing a fifth consecutive Torjägerkanone. The Bayern Munich striker has won a total of six top scorer awards in the Bundesliga and is just one Torjägerkanone away from tying Gerd Muller for the all-time record.
While Lewandowski won the Torjägerkanone by a margin of 14 goals last season, this time around it could be a much more closer race. Both of the closest competitors from the 2020/21 campaign will be back in the German top flight for another season. One of those players, Andre Silva, will be with a new club and could prove to be even more prolific during the 2021/22 season.
The race to become the league’s top scorer is always one of the exciting components of the season to watch for and the upcoming campaign promises to be full of goals. Here are three things to watch for as Lewandowski looks to defend his title for a fifth consecutive season.
Is it Haaland’s time to shine?
Erling Braut Haaland has continued his rise to becoming one of the world’s top strikers. During the 2020/21 campaign, he registered an impressive 27 goals in 28 appearances. This goal-scoring record saw him finish in third place in the race for the Torjägerkanone.
Having missed six Bundesliga matches during the season, Haaland likely would have finished with 30 goals had he made a few more appearances. He averaged 1.01 goals per 90 minutes played which was the second-best record in the league behind Lewandowski.
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For the upcoming campaign, Haaland could prove to be a close competitor to Lewandowski. The Norwegian striker is likely to stay at Borussia Dortmund even though there is intense speculation surrounding his future. Haaland certainly has the ability to become a player who can score 30+ close in a Bundesliga season. If he can remain healthy throughout the season, he should register an impressive goal total.
Additionally, if he can improve his consistency it could be a much closer race. Haaland did not score in 14 of his 28 league appearances, far more scoreless appearances than Lewandowski, who failed to score in just four of his 29 appearances.
Andre Silva is poised for another strong showing
One of the surprising stories from last season was Silva’s second-best goal-scoring record of 28 goals in 32 appearances. The Portuguese striker thrived for Eintracht Frankfurt in his role which certainly helped the club secure a top-five finish. However, Silva will now be in a new kit for the upcoming campaign. He officially joined RB Leipzig in early July as he looks to aid Die Roten Bullen in their quest to dethrone Bayern.
Silva will have plenty of support when it comes to players capable of setting him up for goals at Leipzig. Dani Olmo and Christopher Nkunku are two of the players who should be able to get him back to another 20+ goal season. Having already been a surprise competitor to Lewandowski for the Torjägerkanone last season, Silva might just be able to make it a closer race this time around at his new club.
Another 40 goal season for Lewandowski?
After recording his first 40+ goal Bundesliga season, Lewandowski might just be able to make it consecutive campaigns of 40 goals. Based on last season’s race, he will need to score at least 30+ goals to win the Torjägerkanone by a comfortable margin.
Four of his six Torjägerkanone winning seasons have seen him score 30 goals or more and if he is to win it once more in the 2021/22 season then he will likely need a fifth campaign with a 30+ goal total. Another 40 goal season would be an incredible display and would further add to his legacy during his time in the Bundesliga.