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Bayern Munich coach Pep Guardiola has defended striker Robert Lewandowski against criticism following his difficult start to life with the Bundesliga champions. - Lovell: Bayern the Goliath ready for David of Paderborn
- Guardiola: Paderborn have nothing to lose Lewandowski joined Bayern on a free transfer from Borussia Dortmund during the summer transfer window. Since his summer move to Bavaria, the 26-year-old has scored just once in four league outings. During his four years at the Westfalenstadion, the Poland international scored 74 goals in 131 Bundesliga matches and, in his final season at the club where he won two league titles, was the German league's top scorer with 20 goals. At his unveiling in July, Bayern asked for patience and time to allow the attacker to settle at his new club, and in the new system. However, four matches into the season, parts of the media are slowly running out of patience with Lewandowski. "What's wrong with Lewandowski?" Munchener Merkur asked in a headline on Monday, and the football magazine kicker also ran a story highlighting the player's overall statistics. Lewandowski has only had nine shots at goal so far this term, compared to 22 during the same period at Dortmund last season. In the goalless draw at Hamburg last weekend, he was brought off the bench after 66 minutes, and in the time remaining touched the ball just nine times. However, he has already opened his Bayern account, when he put his side ahead in the 1-1 draw at Schalke, and has provided a further two assists in the league. "He's got problems with his adductors," Guardiola told a news conference on Monday. "He's not at 100 percent. I am very satisfied with his performances." Lewandowski is not the only Bayern player having to cope with injury problems. Netherlands winger Arjen Robben pulled out of the Hamburg match on Saturday after warming up with the team, but could "maybe" be an option for the meeting with Paderborn on Tuesday, Guardiola said. Franck Ribery, however, will remain sidelined with knee problems, and Guardiola added: "We are a better team with Arjen and Franck. We need their qualities in the duels on the last 10 metres. But Franck's not available. Arjen, maybe. We'll see about that."
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