Wojciech Szczesny Aims for Second Trophy with Barcelona

Wojciech Szczesny — the goalkeeper who briefly retired and spent his time playing golf in Marbella — now has a chance to win his second trophy with Barcelona as they face Real Madrid in the Copa del Rey final this weekend.

This unexpected journey began when Marc-André ter Stegen suffered a serious knee injury last September. Robert Lewandowski — his longtime teammate from the Poland national football team — was the first to contact Szczesny, followed by Barcelona’s sporting director, Deco.

“At first, I was hesitant because it was so sudden. But when I looked at the Barcelona squad, I thought — can this team do something special this season? Yes. Could I forgive myself if I turned it down and they achieved something big? No,” Szczesny said.

After a period of adjustment, the 35-year-old goalkeeper has impressed — recording 13 clean sheets in 25 appearances. His calm playing style has given Barcelona players a sense of security.

Szczesny is known for his honest and open personality — including his smoking habit, which led Barcelona fans to nickname him “Szczesny fumador.” He also regularly meditates before matches to maintain focus.

Now, Deco has confirmed that contract extension talks are underway beyond this summer. However, Szczesny‘s main focus is winning the Copa del Rey, Champions League, and La Liga with Barcelona at the end of the season.