Messi has had another quality season but it's no shame to be beaten by Lewa this year.
Messi in La Liga/Copa Del Rey/CL = 39 (2) appearances with 29 G and 24 A. 5 of those goals were penalties.
Lewandowski in DFB Pokal/Bundesliga/CL = 41 (1) appearances with 52 G and 6 A. (He's top scorer in all of those contests too btw, 5 ahead of the next competitor in the CL - Haaland who is 1 behind isn't in the tournament anymore). 6 of those goals were penalties.
Ronaldo in Coppa Italia/CL/Serie A = 40 appearances with 32 G and 5 A. 12 of those goals were penalties.
Even if Bayern don't get past the QF stages (I think everyone assumes they'll beat Chelsea) he had a cracking shot at winning this award because individually which is what this award is about, he has had the best season out of all of them.
But it's not actually
individual at all - and you reasonably know that, I mean, yes last season would suggest otherwise. But that's a massive rarity.
Lewa is banging them in a league where it is merely Bayern more or less, and to a point where they are ultra perfectly built for him to do so. If the CL didn't restart, he is the frontrunner. But he still probably needs to win the CL or for all of the others to also not win it.
Barca aren't built to be a great success right now, yet the main man still has 25g 21A in the league, it's bonkers, but it's going to lead to nothing most likely, and if he does lead them to a CL win... he easily usurps Lewa due to the level of the team around him.
Ronaldo is about to hit 1GPG in Serie A hitting form, again another well built team, not to the levels of Bayern.. but him again doing his knockout heroics and winning the CL make him the frontrunner.
Even at this stage in their careers, I'm also certain both Messi and Ronaldo would outdo Lewa in that league with that team. But that's irrelevant. Simply put, the Bundesliga and it's cups alone aren't truly prestigious enough. Bayern have to bring Lewa the CL to make Lewa a frontrunner... I know he's been great in it so far, but if Bayern then go out to Barca with him no showing to Messi showing up... that alone changes the story.
It's an absolute shame to cancel it for no reason when basically everyone but like Mbappe and Neymar are doing complete seasons anyway... and those two have won their league empathically anyway.