"Philippe Coutinho can be the key for us in the Champions League" – Bayern Munich’s Robert Lewandowski
Bayern Munich striker Robert Lewandowski believes Philippe Coutinho has the potential to help unlock UEFA Champions League achievements this season as the Bavarians aim to successfully defend their domestic crowns while adding a sixth European Cup to the Allianz Arena trophy cabinet.
Coutinho, who joined Bayern on a season-long loan from Barcelona just days after the opening day 2-2 draw with Hertha Berlin, made his Bundesliga debut as a second-half substitute in the Lewandowski-inspired 3-0 win over Schalke and bagged his first Bayern goal in a friendly less than 24 hours later.
And while Bayern’s latest Brazilian recruit may take some time to acclimatise, Lewandowski has already seen enough in the 27-year-old to think Coutinho could be a game changer for the reigning Bundesliga champions.
Watch: Coutinho's first goal for Bayern Munich
“His final pass is insane,” Lewandowski told Bild. “He can be the key in important games, especially in the Champions League, that special something.”
Bayern discover their UCL group-stage opponents when the draw takes place in Monaco on Thursday (6.00pm CEST), with their first fixture taking place on 18/19 September.
The club last won the competition by beating Borussia Dortmund in the final of the 2012/13 edition, with Lewandowski in Black and Yellow and on the losing side that day.
Want more Bundesliga Action?
It is rare in being a trophy that has so far eluded Lewandowski, but the Bundesliga’s record foreign goalscorer is certain that rivals both home and abroad should approach Bayern with even greater caution now Coutinho is in their ranks.
“We become more unpredictable through him and that makes us more dangerous,” said the Pole. “He can play as a 10, outside on the left, if necessary also on the right. We can play with one or two sixes, with tens or two eights. We have more options now.”
Watch: Coutinho - "Lewandowski's better than you see on TV!"
Coutinho was not the only marquee loanee this summer; Croatian Ivan Perisic joined the cause of countryman Niko Kovac from Inter Milan and also made his debut at Schalke.
Four-time Torjäkernanone winner Lewandowski previously played alongside Perisic at BVB, lifting the Meisterschale together in 2011/12.
Now reunited in Bayern’s famous red, Lewandowski is adamant that, like Coutinho, the 30-year-old winger will further strengthen Bayern.
“Ivan can be a big surprise with us, I'm sure. He is good with left, right, a good header, robust, can dribble well. Ivan can help immediately.”
Having run Bayern so close last year, Dortmund made their own recruitment drive in the off season, bringing in the likes of Julian Brandt, Thorgan Hazard, Nico Schulz and Mats Hummels.
And so far it has paid off as Lucien Favre’s men have taken maximum points from their first two games of the season and set the early pace at the top of the table.
But Lewandowski has a warning for his former employers ahead of what already looks like a legendary Bundesliga title race in the making.
“Dortmund has done a lot, they have a big squad,” he said. “But it's not about quantity, it's about quality. And that's for sure: we have the players with the higher quality.”
Related news
Blockbuster weekend of football ahead on Matchday 31
Matchday 31 this weekend may well prove to be a truly defining moment of the campaign at both ends of the table, with a series of huge fixtures on the cards.
What can be confirmed this matchday?
Leverkusen are already champions, but could we see a first team relegated this weekend? Or more Champions League qualifiers confirmed? Find out what can be decided on Matchday 31...
Who's in danger of being relegated?
Two teams will go down automatically, another will get a shot at redemption via the relegation play-off. Find out which teams are at the wrong end of the table...