Lewandowski is a machine - Hummels

Having taken his Bundesliga goals tally over the 100
mark, Mats Hummels praised his former Borussia
Dortmund team-mate Robert Lewandowski.

Mats Hummels has lauded his former team-mate Robert
Lewandowski ahead of Borussia Dortmund's table-topping
clash with Bayern Munich next weekend.

The Poland international followed up his record-breaking five-
goal haul against Wolfsburg in midweek with a double against
Mainz, taking his Bundesliga tally to 101 goals in 168
appearances.

Lewandowski netted 74 of those while playing alongside
Hummels at Signal Iduna Park, winning back-to-back
Bundesliga titles under Jurgen Klopp before making the switch
to Munich.

And the World Cup-winning centre-back admitted he can still
enjoy the displays of his former team-mate, insisting there are
no hard feelings despite his switch to their rivals.

"I had an incredulous smile on my face when Lewy
[Lewandowski] scored his five goals, since I don't see the shirt
or the club for which he plays, just an exceptional striker,"
Hummels told Bild am Sonntag.

"You can enjoy his goals, even as part of BVB. He is a complete
machine.

"No matter what he does, he doesn't have to answer to anyone.
He did something unpredictable and extraordinary at BVB."

After a dismal 2014-15 campaign which culminated in Klopp
leaving the club, Thomas Tuchel took the helm at Dortmund and
has quickly led them back towards the upper reaches of the
Bundesliga table.

They take on leaders Bayern in their biggest game of the season
so far next Sunday, and, while Hummels insists Dortmund's aim
is not to challenge for the title, he is adamant they have been
restored to their confident best.

"I do not feel that we are wasting our talent and our quality. With
the team that we have, we need to at least take third place -
probably even better. Our goal must be to be merciless," he
added.

"Our confidence is back. We are very aware of our qualities
again."