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The future of Wojciech Szczesny at Barcelona has been the subject of growing speculation in recent months, especially considering the veteran goalkeeper had already retired from professional football before returning to the game.
Despite the uncertainty, Szczesny has now made his intentions very clear ahead of next season.
The Polish goalkeeper, who still has one year remaining on his current Barcelona contract, confirmed in an interview with Eleven Sports that he wants to continue playing and remains fully committed to the club.
“I’m old enough to understand that every year there might be speculation about whether I can still play, whether I still want to play.
“I still want to play, and I still can play, so I think we’ll talk a couple more times after this Clasico,” he stated.
The experienced goalkeeper also spoke about the role he plays within the Barcelona dressing room beyond simply performing on the pitch.
Szczesny explained that maintaining a positive atmosphere and helping younger players handle pressure is something he values greatly at this stage of his career.
“I realise that, even when I’m not helping on the field, I have to find a way to help those who are playing.
“Often, a good atmosphere helps—a smile, a little relief from the pressure—but also setting a good example in training. It’s not like the one in charge of creating the atmosphere is only there for that.
“I feel the pressure to measure up to the rest of the team. If that helps, all the better. And that’s what I’m doing.”
UCL elimination
Szczesny spoke about the UCL elimination. (Photo by Denis Doyle/Getty Images)
The Barcelona goalkeeper also reflected honestly on the club’s disappointing exits from the UEFA Champions League at the hands of Atletico Madrid, admitting the team ultimately paid for its own mistakes in crucial moments.
While discussing the eliminations, Szczesny said, “That’s football, especially in the knockout stages: a single match can knock you out.
“And this year, two such matches knocked us out of two competitions. We lost two titles because of them.
“But I think it’s both harsh and fair at the same time because nobody tricked us.
“We played two poor matches ourselves, and because of that, we denied ourselves the chance to win the titles.”
Best player in the world
Attention also turned toward the debate surrounding the best player in world football right now, with Szczesny mentioning both Michael Olise and Lamine Yamal while discussing players who are currently standing out.
Speaking about the topic, Szczesny said, “I think there are a few candidates at the moment.
“The perspective is a bit different too because the Champions League is still going on, and we’re not in it, and Lamine isn’t in it either.
“But I think what Michael Olise is doing this season is exceptional. Lamine puts on a show, and I think that’s the value he brings to football.
“Because of him, people fall in love with football and come to watch a spectacle, not just to watch their favourite team play, so that certainly has great value.”
Thoughts on Hansi Flick
Szczesny believes Flick can win the UCL with Barcelona. (Photo by Angel Martinez/Getty Images)
The veteran goalkeeper also backed Hansi Flick to eventually guide Barcelona back to Champions League glory.
While discussing Flick’s ambitions at the club, Szczesny stated, “Hansi already has a Champions League title, but not with Barcelona.
“You can tell he’s desperate to be the manager who brings the Champions League back to Barcelona, and he has the squad to do it.
“I think whether Hansi succeeds in doing that in the coming years or someone else succeeds later on.
“The squad currently at Barcelona ensures there will be fierce competition for many years to come, so that Barcelona are always among the favourites to win the title.”
Finally, Szczesny ended the interview with a humorous response when asked about Robert Lewandowski and the possibility of moving to Juventus.
“If I were to advise him based on my experience, I’d tell him to retire, because that’s when the best offers will come his way,” he concluded.
Source: SPORT
