Barcelona has officially signed former Polish goalkeeper Wojciech Szczesny to their squad as a response to the injury of Marc-André ter Stegen. Szczesny, who had retired from professional football in August after his tenure at Juventus, decided to come out of retirement after receiving an offer from Barcelona. He regarded it as “stupid” to decline the opportunity.
The 34-year-old goalkeeper revealed that his former Poland teammate, Robert Lewandowski, played a crucial role in convincing him to join the club. Szczesny mentioned that Lewandowski was one of the first to reach out to him regarding a potential return to the pitch, prompting Szczesny to reconsider his retirement.
Szczesny expressed that while he was initially hesitating about taking on new challenges, the encouragement from family and friends helped him make the decision to accept the offer from Barcelona. He noted that joining Barcelona is a moment of pride for him, despite initially feeling content with retirement.
The club announced that Szczesny has signed on until the end of the season. Ter Stegen is currently out of action after undergoing surgery for a ruptured tendon in his right knee, which is expected to keep him off the field for several months. Iñaki Peña has been stepping in as the starting goalkeeper since Ter Stegen’s injury, with coach Hansi Flick supporting the young player while also acknowledging the need for an experienced goalkeeper.
Szczesny was present at Barcelona’s recent Champions League match, where the team secured a 5-0 victory against Young Boys, observing the game from a VIP section at the Montjuic stadium. With a rich career including 84 appearances for Poland and participation in major tournaments like the World Cup and European Championship, Szczesny brings significant experience to the Barcelona squad.