Amid the sombre mood at FC Barcelona following their 1-4 defeat to Sevilla, veteran goalkeeper Wojciech Szczesny has shared a heartfelt anecdote involving club president Joan Laporta.
In a wide-ranging interview with Sportpl (h/t SPORT), the Polish shot-stopper opened up about his arrival at Barça and recalled a personal moment regarding a famous photo of him in the Barcelona locker room that has stayed with him.
“That cigar in the dressing room is a good summary of the whole story. The smoke made me say goodbye to Arsenal, the smoke accompanied me for many years, and in the end, Joan Laporta gave me a very good cigar.
“I lit it in the dressing room, watching with satisfaction how all my teammates celebrated the Spanish league title.
“It was a moment of incredible satisfaction for me, and it ties this film perfectly with my career,” Szczesny said, reflecting on the league triumph.
Adapting to Barcelona’s demands
The goalkeeper also spoke candidly about the challenges of adjusting to Barça’s style of play. “I knew when facing this challenge that I didn’t fit into Barcelona’s style.
“I knew I was the best backup option at the time, but I’m not at all the type of goalkeeper who suits that style of play.
“I knew I would have to adapt, and I couldn’t do that by playing it safe.
“I knew I would have to make senseless runs outside the area several times to understand where the limit was, how far I could go, and how much I could risk. And that meant I had to make some mistakes.”
The veteran keeper explained that adapting required humility and patience: “I wasn’t comfortable with it, but I saw that this plan was working.
“The team was playing very well, so I had to adapt to this game, not the team to me, because I just didn’t fit in. I was very open to learning and, at the same time, I had to put my ego aside.
“After that, everything seemed much better, and I think I felt quite comfortable with this system of play, which brought me results like this beautiful triple crown,” he noted.
He added that in the end, everything turned out quite well. “I know that there is a certain level that I will not reach. I am too old to learn everything so quickly.
“I just tried to do my job as best I could. It turned out well enough for us to win three trophies. I understand the excitement of this story.
“I was calm, I knew that everything had to be achieved through hard work. I was prepared for it.
“But I’m not fooling myself, I had an incredible season. My team played an incredible season, and I managed not to interfere.”
The Champions League dream
Looking ahead, Szczesny admits that winning the Champions League remains a dream, but he keeps it in perspective,
“I am a Barcelona player and I cannot start the season without thinking about winning the Champions League.
“It’s natural, but if I didn’t win the Champions League, I wouldn’t feel that my career was incomplete or unfulfilled. I feel fulfilled as a person and as a footballer.
“Today, above all, I would like to give back to others what they have given me throughout my career: incredible support, peace of mind, and experience,” he concluded.
