Robert Lewandowski hails Jurgen Klopp influence

Bayern Munich striker Robert Lewandowki has hailed his former manager Jurgen Klopp, saying that the Liverpool boss made him a more complete player.

Klopp managed the Polish striker for four years while the pair were at Borussia Dortmund, for whom Lewandowski scored 103 goals in 187 before moving to Bundesliga rivals Bayern.

The 27-year-old revealed that he was initially asked to play in an unfamiliar role behind the main striker by the current Liverpool manager at Dortmund, but insisted that it was this move by Klopp that improved his game to the level that it is at today.

"Borussia first expressed an interest after my first year in Poznan," the striker told FourFourTwo. "When I left [Lech Poznan in 2010] after the second season, I wanted to take the next step - but suddenly I was playing in a number 10 role.

"I was quite mad because I wanted to play up front. It was only in the following year that I realised how much I had learned in that position. I told myself: 'You have become a better player.'

"Then I realised why the coach had asked me to play as a number 10; he made me a more complete player."

Lewandowski's goal for Bayern in the 5-1 win over Arsenal on Wednesday night took him to 24 goals in 21 matches for club and country this season.