Why is Robert Lewandowski wearing a mask in Barcelona’s La Liga clash with Athletic Club?
Barcelona have a key La Liga 2025-26 match this Saturday against Athletic Club, as a victory would allow them to maintain their four-point lead over Real Madrid in the standings. Robert Lewandowski started the game on the bench, with a peculiar detail in his appearance.
The Polish forward is wearing a mask that covers part of his face as a precaution to prevent impacts in that area. This is due to a heavy blow he suffered to the head during last Saturday’s match against Villarreal, which caused a bone fracture in the inner part of his left eye socket.
The injury kept Lewandowski out of the second leg of the Copa del Rey semifinals against Atletico Madrid last Tuesday, where Barcelona won 3-0 but failed to advance to the final after losing 4-0 in the first leg in Madrid.
After a few days of recovery from that blow, the 37-year-old is now fit to return to the field, but he must do so wearing the mask to avoid any impacts that could worsen the injury. In fact, during training sessions with his teammates over the week, he had to follow the same precaution.
Interestingly, Barcelona already had a player this season who had to play with a protective mask. Eric Garcia, in November 2025, suffered a facial blow that caused a nasal fracture during a UEFA Champions League match against Club Brugge, forcing him to wear protection for several games.
Lewandowski has worn a mask before
During his years with Bayern Munich, Robert Lewandowski faced a similar situation. In the 2014-15 season, a fracture of the nose and jaw forced the forward to wear a mask to return to official action sooner than expected. At that time, he played five matches with the mask and scored two goals.
“I remember perfectly when I had to wear a mask, and it wasn’t pleasant,” Lewandowski said years later, according to Mundo Deportivo. “It was a tough challenge for me. I don’t remember playing well with the mask.”
He explained why playing with the mask made it difficult to perform on the field: “It’s hard, especially for forwards who play around the box. I remember having trouble reacting and seeing the ball and the opponents clearly.”