Bayern Munich: Five key stats from 5-2 win over Benfica

Bayern Munich remained undefeated in the group stage of the 2021/22 UEFA Champions League with a 5-2 win over Benfica. Propelled by a hat-trick from striker Robert Lewandowski, Bayern has now recorded four wins from four matches and is guaranteed a place in the knockout phase of the competition. Here are five key stats from the 5-2 victory.

Lewandowski can’t stop scoring

Bayern’s star striker has scored in every single group stage match. During this scoring streak, he has recorded eight goals in four appearances which have guided Die Roten to a fantastic start to the Champions League campaign.

Robert Lewandowski needs to score just two more goals to match his group stage total from the 2019/20 season when he scored ten goals in five appearances. That same season also saw him record his career-best Champions League goal total which was 15 goals in ten appearances.

With 2.07 goals per 90 minutes played, Lewandowski is on pace to set a career-best in goals scored in the Champions League. If he continues to produce this number of goals per 90 minutes and Bayern advances into the final stages of the competition, he will break Cristiano Ronaldo‘s record of 17 goals scored in a single Champions League season.

A clinical performance

The top-class finishing ability Bayern’s offensive players possess was on full display in this match. They finished with 0.21 goals per shot which is the best goals per shot number they have posted this season in the Champions League.

Goal-filled group stage

According to OptaFranz, Bayern’s 17 goals in four matches is a joint Champions League record with Paris Saint-Germain for most goals scored after four matches played. Bayern’s best goal-scoring season in the Champions League was in the title-winning 2019/20 campaign when they registered 43 goals in just 11 matches.

Leroy Sane closing in on career-high numbers

Sane’s goal and assist against Benfica allowed the winger to extend his streak of producing either a goal or assist in every Champions League appearance he’s made this season. He now has four goals and four assists in four appearances.

Leroy Sane needs just one more goal and assist to better his career-best Champions League total which was in the 2018/19 campaign when he produced four goals and four assists in eight appearances for Manchester City.

Group stage success

Bayern is undefeated in their last 26 Champions League group stage matches. The lost time they fell to an opponent in a group stage fixture was in the 2017/18 season when they lost 3-0 to PSG on Matchday Two. Since that defeat, they have posted a record of 23-0-3 during this 26 matches undefeated run in the group stage.