October 03, (THEWILL) – Wojciech Szczesny has revealed that fellow Poland international Robert Lewandowski played a crucial role in his decision to return from retirement and sign for Barcelona. The 34-year-old goalkeeper confirmed that Lewandowski was the catalyst behind his surprise move to the Spanish giants, following his official signing on October 2, 2024.
“He was the first person who called me to look into the possibility of this happening because I was retired,” Szczesny disclosed during his presentation. The former Juventus goalkeeper explained that while initially hesitant about taking on fresh challenges, discussions with family and friends, particularly Lewandowski, convinced him to accept the opportunity.
The transfer comes at a critical time for Barcelona, who lost first-choice goalkeeper Marc-Andre ter Stegen to a season-ending knee injury sustained during a 5-1 victory against Villarreal in September. While Inaki Pena initially filled the position, the club identified the need for additional experience between the posts.
Szczesny brings considerable pedigree to Barcelona, having accumulated three league titles and three Coppa Italia trophies during his stint with Juventus. In his final season in Turin, the Polish international featured in 35 Serie A matches before announcing his retirement during the summer transfer window.
The goalkeeper demonstrated his immediate commitment to his latest challenge by attending Barcelona’s emphatic 5-0 UEFA Champions League triumph over Young Boys at the Estadi Olimpic Lluis Companys prior to completing his move. Szczesny could make his debut for the Catalan side in their upcoming La Liga encounter against Alaves.
Jude Obafemi is a versatile senior Correspondent at THEWILL Newspapers, excelling in sourcing, researching, and delivering sports news stories for both print and digital publications.
