Robert Lewandowski joined Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi as the only players in Champions League history to score 100 or more goals.

Lewandowski’s early penalty saw Barcelona win 3–0 against previously unbeaten Brest, moving up to second place in the new single-league format. The Polish striker scored goal No. 101 in second-half stoppage time.

Ronaldo tops the all-time goals list with 140 goals, and Messi is next with 129. But neither Ronaldo nor Messi play in the Champions League anymore after moving to the Saudi Pro League and MLS respectively.

“I’m very happy, it’s a good number to put forward. Years ago I didn’t think I could score more than a hundred goals in the Champions League. To join Messi and Ronaldo… I think that they’re good, right?” Lewandowski told Movistar.

“For me, the most important thing is that we try to win every match. If I can score, then that is the perfect solution,” he added.

Lewandowski, 36, needed 125 games to reach the century mark, two more than Messi (123) and 12 fewer than Ronaldo (137).

Barça coach Hansi Flick, who also worked with Lewandowski at Bayern Munich, praised the striker’s performance.

“I also knew him for two years from Munich; there he also broke every record you can break. Now he also scores. It’s important for us. But the whole team supports him. The other players will help him score the goals make,” says Flick. said.

Barcelona also got a second-half score from Dani Olmo as they returned to victory after two scoreless games in LaLiga.

“I am very happy that we won today and took three points, but also that we dominated the match and the opponent, defended well and attacked well,” said Flick.

“This was good to see. Of course in a long season there are situations that we don’t expect, but in the end we came back and this was very important.

“I won’t say everything was perfect, but it was a really good step after the (draw against Celta) Vigo. I’m a bit missing the hunger to score more goals, but in the end three points is perfect.”

The top eight players in the Champions League standings will advance directly to the round of 16 in March. Teams ranked ninth through 24th will enter a knockout play-off round in February, while the bottom 12 teams will be eliminated.

Barca’s win over Brest saw them climb to second place, with Flick looking to secure a place in the top eight as quickly as possible with games against Borussia Dortmund, Benfica and Atalanta.

“When we started the new Champions League, the new format, our goal was to reach the top eight because then you still have two weeks off in February,” he said.

“But we know that there are some agreements waiting. We have to play the next match against Dortmund. It will be tough, in Dortmund they are good, but I think we are ready for that and we can do that in Dortmund to show.” “

Sam Marsden of ESPN and The Associated Press contributed to this report.