Wojciech Szczesny, former Polish goalkeeper, has spoken about his situation at Barcelona, where he has been playing second fiddle to Inaki Pena. Despite being expected to take over the starting role following Marc-Andre ter Stegen’s season-ending injury, Szczesny has yet to play a single minute of football for the club.
The 34-year-old made a surprise return to professional football in October after being coaxed out of retirement by Barcelona, prompting expectations that he would take over as the team’s primary goalkeeper. However, Inaki Pena has impressed coach Hansi Flick in recent weeks, leading Szczesny to accept that he may not see much playing time.
“Inaki Pena has not given him any reason to leave him on the bench,” Szczesny explained during an interview with Eleven Sports. “We have talked a lot. I’ve already told the coach that I’m 100%, but the team is working well. If it’s not broken, don’t touch it.”
Szczesny’s comments come as no surprise, given Barcelona’s remarkable form under Flick. The team has won nine of their first ten league games and has taken their impressive form to the continent, thrashing Bayern Munich 4-1 in the UEFA Champions League.
Despite being on the sidelines, Szczesny seems content with his situation, acknowledging that the team’s current form is not in need of changes. His willingness to adapt and support Pena is a testament to his professionalism and ability to put the team’s interests before his own.
As Barcelona prepares to face arch-rivals Real Madrid in El Clasico this weekend, Flick’s side will look to maintain their impressive form. With Pena set to continue between the sticks, Szczesny will likely have to wait for his opportunity to shine.
