Lukas Podolski Finally Finds the Net, 1,425 Bundesliga Minutes Since the Last Time

Cologne’s Lukas Podolski became the latest in a long line of players to score against their former employers this weekend, when he fired a long distance free kick past Hans-Jorg Butt in the Bayern Munich goal. But the real relief was that the man known as Poldi scored at all.

After nearly turning to mush on the Bayern bench last season, Podolski made a triumphant (and partially Poldi Pixel financed) return to Cologne in the summer, the expectation being that he’d rediscover that lethal goalscoring form he’d displayed in his first spell there from 2003-2006. Except it didn’t quite work out that way.

According to Gabriele Marcotti, Poldi had scored just once for Cologne this season, and that was way back on September 13th, 2009. A whole ‘nother decade ago. There’ve been 1,425 minutes of goalless Bundesliga action for Podolski since that first strike, including a shot against the bar earlier in this game against Bayern. So maybe the man was due some luck.

He definitely got it. Because apparently Podolski’s free kick – excellent though it was – was indirect. Had the ball gone straight in, the goal wouldn’t have counted. Fortunately Hans-Jörg Butt tried to save the strike, and so legitimized the goal by making contact with the ball. Unlucky Hans.

Bayern eventually came back to draw 1-1, but the day belonged to Lukas Podolski. He now stands as eternal proof that if you’re ever in a goalscoring rut, then the very best thing you can do is face a former team that didn’t think you were quite good enough. Because the football gods love irony, and so will make sure you get a goal.

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Category: Bundesliga