Lewandoski Bags Hat Trick As Barcelona Beat Plzen 5-1

Robert Lewandowski secured a win for Barcelona with an Hat-Trick as the Catalans beat Plzen 5-1 in champions league opener.

Barca, who failed to get past the group stage last season, also saw Franck Kessie and Ferran Torres score in an accomplished display.

Lewandowski has now scored a total of eight goals in just five appearances for his new team in all competitions.

“I knew from the beginning here it was going to be important to adapt right from the first game,” he told uefa.com.

“Today is my wife’s birthday so the goals and the birthday were for her. The fact that she was in the stadium on her birthday means a lot. Something amazing for me.”

There will be tougher tests to come for the five-time European champions with Bayern Munich and Inter Milan also in Group C.

The Catalan giants visit the Allianz Arena next Tuesday in a real test of how far they have come in the last 12 months, after Bayern’s opening 2-0 win at the San Siro.

Barca took the lead in the 13th minute as Kessie nodded the ball home after Jules Kounde had headed Ousmane Dembele’s corner back across goal.

It was the Ivorian midfielder’s first goal for the club since signing from AC Milan in the close season.

Ansu Fati almost doubled the advantage midway through the first half, but his effort was saved by visiting goalkeeper Jindrich Stanek.