BLACKBURN Rovers captain Grant Hanley is relishing the prospect of facing Robert Lewandowski – the man who could have been his team-mate at Ewood Park.

Lewandowski, who has scored 19 goals in 13 games this season, including 12 in his last four matches for Bayern Munich, was set for talks with Rovers representatives over a possible £2.5m move from Lech Poznan five years ago.

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But famously the Icelandic volcanic ash cloud put paid to that and instead the Pole joined Borussia Dortmund where he set about forging a reputation as one of the world’s greatest strikers.

Lewandowski will lead the line for Poland in their crucial Euro 2016 qualifier against Scotland at Hampden Park tomorrow night.

And Hanley, having regained in his place at the heart of the Tartan Army defence, is set to be one of the men tasked with the responsibility of stopping the 25-year-old who fired an incredible five goals in nine minutes for Munich against Wolfsburg after coming on as a half-time substitute last month.

The centre-back said: “I will try to enjoy it and relish it. That’s why you play football, you want to test yourself against the best.

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“At the moment, his record shows he is definitely one of the best so we will look to enjoy playing against him.

“It’s international football and you are going to come up against players of that quality so it is no surprise that you come up against a player on the kind of scoring streak he is on at the moment.

“He is a top quality striker. His record in the last few games is pretty unbelievable.

“But we are at home, with a full house at Hampden, so we will be focused on our job and what we can do to beat them.”

Scotland need to take at least four points from their last two matches, the second of which comes away to Gibraltar, and hope the Republic of Ireland, who take on Germany and Poland, lose twice to stand any chance of snatching third place and possible qualification.

Tartan Army boss Gordon Strachan has recalled Hanley’s Rovers team-mate Jordan Rhodes who will go into his country’s make-or-break clashes with seven goals in his last five Championship games.

“Jordan has been on fire recently, I’ve seen it first hand at Blackburn, he has been banging them in,” said Hanley.

“It’s up to the gaffer to decide who he is going to play on the night. Jordan loves coming away with Scotland and getting as much playing time as he can.

“He knows you have to work hard and score goals at your club to have a chance of playing for your country. That’s what he has been doing, so he has given himself the best chance he can of being involved.”

Rhodes joined up with his Tartan Army team-mates this week despite picking up a knock toward the end of Rovers’ 2-0 victory over Ipswich Town on Saturday.

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