Barcelona has signed former Juventus goalkeeper Wojciech Szczesny, but he has yet to make his debut with the Spanish club. Despite being called up for several matches, Szczesny has not been selected in the starting lineup, with coach Flick opting to stick with Spanish goalkeeper Iñaki Peña instead.
The decision to continue with Peña is a clear indication that Szczesny is not yet ready to take over as the team’s first-choice goalkeeper. “I’m happy that Wojciech says he’s ready,” Flick stated, “but there’s no reason to change goalkeeper.” Szczesny’s inactivity is likely due to Peña’s recent form and the German coach’s preference for continuity.
In the meantime, Szczesny continues to feature for Poland, where he has maintained his starting place in the national team. Recently, he even had the opportunity to catch up with former Juventus teammate Cristiano Ronaldo, who now plays for Al Nassr. The two shared a laugh, and Ronaldo joked about Szczesny’s decision to leave Juventus, saying, “You had to retire to join a big club.” The two old friends ended their meeting with a warm hug, reflecting on their shared experience with Juventus.
As the situation stands, it appears that Peña will continue to be Barcelona’s first-choice goalkeeper, at least for the time being. Whether Szczesny will ultimately get his chance remains to be seen, but for now, he is still waiting in the wings, patiently observing and learning from his experienced coach.
