Football
Mark Rodden 8y

Dortmund chief: Robert Lewandowski success a confirmation of our work

Borussia Dortmund chief executive Hans-Joachim Watzke has said the club can take some credit for Robert Lewandowski's incredible recent form for Bayern Munich.

After scoring five goals against Wolfsburg and a brace against Mainz, ex-Dortmund man Lewandowski, 27, bagged a hat trick in Bayern's 5-0 Champions League win over Dinamo Zagreb on Tuesday.

The Poland international said he was still "thirsty for goals" as Bayern prepare to host Dortmund on Sunday.

Dortmund brought Lewandowski to Germany from Lech Poznan in 2010, and he scored 74 goals in 131 league games to help his side win the Bundesliga twice during a four-year spell at the club.

Watzke said BVB could take credit for the fact that they had helped make him the player he is, telling Bild: "We discovered him. In this sense, it's a confirmation of our work.

"Back then, Robert wasn't yet on the radar. But we've believed for years that he's one of the best strikers in the world.

"Our heart doesn't need to bleed because of it. This is professional football, and that at the end of the day he's gone to Bayern we just have to accept."

Watzke added: "I hope that he continues to score goals on an international level.

"Even in the Bundesliga he's allowed to score more goals... as long as they're not against us."

Dortmund are unbeaten in 14 matches in all competitions this season under new manager Thomas Tuchel.

Back-to-back Bundesliga draws mean they are four points behind leaders Bayern, who have taken maximum points from their seven matches.

And Watzke said: "If somebody in Germany hoped after the first five league games that we could keep pace with Bayern [over the season], they were being unrealistic."

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