WARSAW, Aug. 25 (Xinhua) -- Poland striker Robert Lewandowski will not play in his country's two upcoming UEFA Nations League matches, after head coach Jerzy Brzeczek said on Tuesday that "the player needs a break".
On September 4, Poland will face the Netherlands in Amsterdam, while three days later Brzeczek's team faces Bosnia in Zenica. The coach announced that Lewandowski will miss both games, after the striker played in Sunday's Champions League final for Bayern Munich.
"I spoke with Robert and together we decided that it was the best time for him to have a longer rest physically and mentally after such exhausting games. Therefore, he will not take part in the September matches.
"There is another intense season ahead of him, which will end with the European Championships. Lewandowski remains the key player of our team. He is our captain, but we will cope without him in the forthcoming encounters," Brzeczek was quoted as saying by the Polish Football Federation's official website.
Lewandowski's Bayern side won this season's Champions League, beating Paris Saint-Germain 1-0 in Sunday's final, with the Pole scoring 15 goals in just 10 games in the competition.
"I would like to congratulate Robert on his great success. He not only won the competition but also became the top scorer of the Champions League. This is a really big achievement and we can all be proud of our compatriot," added Brzeczek. Enditem
