BRISTLING FOR A FIGHT

Published date25 March 2024
Publication titleDaily Star (England)
Roberts is bristling for a fight ahead of his country's crunch play-off final at home to Poland tomorrow night

He's grown an epic, extra-wide 'tache - part Tom Selleck, part Victorian villain look - this season and reckons it's in good enough form to take care of Lewandowski.

"My wife told me to grow it last year and it went on an unbeaten run at Burnley," said Roberts, who is on loan at high-flying Leeds United in the Championship.

"I've done the same thing this year and I think it's appeared in 25 Championship matches and never lost. I'm hoping it brings us more luck on Tuesday. It's all about the power of the 'tache!"

After clipping Finland 4-1 last Thursday with no close shaves, Wales and Roberts are close to reaching their fourth major tournament out of the last five.

To chop down the Poles at the Cardiff City Stadium, however, will mean dealing with the threat of Lewandowski, who boasts an incredible international scoring record of 82 goals in 146 matches.

The Barcelona striker is now 35, but has already scored 23 goals this season for club and country.

Roberts, though, is part of a Wales defence which has only conceded four goals in seven matches this season and added: "Lewandowski a good player, but as a back five, and as a full team, we have played against good players all our careers.

"So, this is just another game where you have to have no fear.

"I've had brilliant moments at the Euros, scoring goals, being part of big nights in Cardiff, playing at the World Cup, but I want more.

"As footballers, I think a lot of us get greedy. We want to be better and better and this gives us another...

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