5 players who have hit the woodwork the most in Europe this season (2021-22)

#3 Robert Lewandowski - 6 times

Lewandowski has been in terrific goal scoring form

When a player is as prolific a striker as Robert Lewandowski, it's expected that he will have high goal attempts. While Lewandowski is deadly accurate and buries most of his chances, some have gone away because of inches.

Lewandowski has been arguably the best forward in the game in recent times. Such has been his power-packed performance for Bayern Munich that many fans believe he deserved to win the 2021 Ballon d'Or. Lewandowski may not have won the individual award, but it hasn't dented his confidence or goal-scoring antics.

Lewandowski is again having another terrific season as he leads the charge for another Bundesliga and Champions League title. He has made 29 appearances under Julian Nagelsmann and has already scored more than 30 goals. With 35 goals and three assists, Lewandowski sits comfortably ahead of any forward in Europe this season.

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#2 Bryan Mbuemo - 7 times

Brentford have surprised many fans with their performances so far. Manager Thomas Franck has done well in the side's first season in the Premier League after promotion. The side have taken many bigger outfits by surprise with their well-disciplined approach to counter-attacking and pressing football.

Frenchman Bryan Mbuemo has been an essential part of the Brentford squad in the Championship and is now in the Premier League. He is one of the many products that are testament to the scouting network's excellent use that Brentford boasts of.

Had Mbumeo's seven woodwork hits gone into goal, both he and Brentford would have been happier. However, the right-winger has made 21 appearances across all competitions, scoring seven goals and making three assists for his teammates.

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#1 Lionel Messi - 7 times

Manchester City v Paris Saint-Germain: Group A - UEFA Champions League

No one could have foreseen Lionel Messi's transfer to Paris Saint-Germain last summer, but it did happen. But the Argentine has been slow in getting adjusted to the new team, and his goal-scoring has not been at his usual high standards.

PSG haven't been too affected by Messi's slow start so far as the club find themselves in a strong position thanks to Kylian Mbappe.

Messi has played in his preferred position but hasn't found form in Ligue 1, scoring twice in 13 games. He has been excellent in the Champions League so far, and PSG will be hoping that he can lead them to the coveted trophy. What hasn't helped Messi's luck has been the seven times he has struck the woodwork.

Messi is slowly getting back to his rhythm and has played 19 games in all competitions, scoring seven goals and making seven assists. The PSG faithful will hope his form improves as the club have a challenging set of fixtures coming up.