Warsaw (Poland), Jan 7 (NationPress) Polish goalkeeper Wojciech Szczesny revealed that making his first appearance in the FC Barcelona jersey was a remarkable occasion for him as he never envisioned such a circumstance. During the match on Saturday, Szczesny played the full 90 minutes against UD Barbastro in the Copa del Rey, contributing to his team's impressive 4-0 win under coach Hansi Flick.
"This debut was truly special to me. I feel an immense sense of pride. My brother traveled from Poland to witness the match in person, while the rest of my family followed along on television. By the end of my career, I never thought I would have the chance to play for Barcelona," the goalkeeper shared with Polish media on Tuesday.
After a three-month wait for his first match with the Catalan side, the 34-year-old commented, "When I signed my contract, I had already been away from training for three months. I had previously announced my retirement. I understood that I needed time to adjust. It was even possible that I might not play a single match for the team," he added.
Szczesny expressed satisfaction with his performance, as reported by Xinhua. "I felt great on the pitch. I was able to maintain focus without any issues. I believe I performed my duties well, and I hope for more opportunities in the future. I'm delighted that we progressed to the next round. It was a match that we needed to win, and we accomplished that," Szczesny elaborated.
He acknowledged that his fellow countryman Robert Lewandowski played a significant role in helping him acclimate to the club.
"I'm from Warsaw, while Robert hails from a town near Warsaw. Neither of us ever imagined we would see a day when two Polish players would represent FC Barcelona. This is an extraordinary situation. I never anticipated anything like it," Szczesny concluded.
