Football
ESPN staff 7y

Robert Lewandowski: Bets with Jurgen Klopp helped sharpen my game

Robert Lewandowski has said Jurgen Klopp was the manager who turned him into one of the world's most sought-after strikers.

Bayern Munich star Lewandowski, preparing to face Arsenal in the Champions League next week, told the Daily Mail bets with Klopp, his coach at Borussia Dortmund, helped sharpen his appetite for goals.

Lewandowski became the focal point of the Dortmund team that won two Bundesliga titles and reached a Champions League final under the management of Klopp.

The 28-year-old joined them in 2010 after having come close to moving to Blackburn Rovers and revealed: "He was the one who gave me belief.

"In the first three or four months in training, we would have this game -- him against the striker.

"There would be a bet between me and him. In the first few training sessions, he was always winning but after that not so much.

"Every time after, he lost. He didn't want to play any more. He improved my finishing. When I came to Dortmund, it wasn't so good. He told me to improve. He showed me what I had to do."

Lewandowski said he had learned from Klopp "how important it was to train well," adding: "I saw what I have to do on the pitch when I don't have the ball.

"You look at Liverpool now and how they play with the pressing. That is what I learned from him."

The Poland captain said Bayern Munich were looking forward to the challenge of facing Arsenal, saying he viewed Theo Walcott, Alexis Sanchez and Mesut Ozil as "the main dangers."

He added: "Everyone wants to beat Bayern, we know this. Arsenal will be very difficult, but the Champions League? This is something special."

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