Robert Lewandowski made UEFA Champions League history yet again on Wednesday night when he netted an impressive hat-trick for FC Barcelona.
The Catalan giants secured a dominant 5-1 win over Viktoria Plzen in the 2022/23 UCL opener, with the forward getting a trio of strikes while Franck Kessie and Ferran Torres also got on the scoresheet.
Scroll through the gallery above to see Barca and Viktoria Plzen in action on Tuesday!
The Poland international once again demonstrated his value to his new team by making it eight goals in just five games since leaving Bayern Munich.
Lewandowski has set records in the UCL previously, with the goal-getter scoring the competition's fastest hat-trick from the start of a match during the Bavarians' 7-2 win over RB Salzburg in March – he did so in just 23 minutes.
His trio of goals against the Czech Republic side on Wednesday took him past Karim Benzema to become the third-highest scorer in the history of the UCL.
According to ESPN, the 34-year-old has now scored 89 goals in Europe's biggest club competition, with only Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi managing more than him.
Lewandowski also became the first player ever to score a hat-trick in the UCL with three different clubs, having done so with Borussia Dortmund and Bayern previously.
Read: Haaland smashes UCL record
Following the LaLiga side's dominant display, Barca head coach Xavi Hernandez applauded the striker for his "fantastic" impact.
"I am running out of praise for him," the Spaniard said, per ESPN.
"He's scored a hat-trick, but it's not just that. It's how he plays and how he makes the team play, finding the third man, reading the space perfectly, pressing...
"I am delighted [with him]. He has been a fantastic signing. He gives us so many solutions in attack, he's a leader, a winner... [just] a fantastic, fantastic signing.
"I don't know if he is the best No.9 in the world, but he is the best No. 9 for us.
"If he is not the best, he is up there with Benzema and the others, [Erling] Haaland is also there.
"But, without making comparisons, Robert is spectacular and it is an honour to have him on the team."
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