Polish
In an interview with Spanish media outlet Sport45, goalkeeper Szczesny shared his main purpose of joining Barcelona and his personal career journey.
Talking about the family time he missed out on due to his professional career, Szczesny confessed, "I did make sacrifices to become a professional player, especially for my family. I didn't get to witness my children's growing moments, and those can't be made up for. But after I retire, I will try to find a balance between my family and my career."
On how to return to form quickly, Szczesny said, "Mentally it wasn't difficult because I've only been retired for two months. I have a lot of experience and it's not difficult to focus on my work. But if I feel I can't reach the level Barcelona needs mentally or physically, I'll be honest with myself and won't push it."
On the pressure of joining Barcelona, Szczesny said, "I feel my own pressure and that's to reach the high expectations I have for myself. But outside pressure or pressure to play, I don't feel that. I just enjoy training with this group of young players and helping them grow."
He emphasized that his main aim in joining Barcelona was to teach: "The team is very young, with a lot of talented young players, but they need experience to cope with difficult moments. I'm here to help them, not to steal positions. I'm willing to provide support from the bench, as long as the team is successful."
On whether he would like to sit on the bench after his comeback, Szczesny said, "I can accept that. If I can help Peña and win the title, I will be happy even if I sit on the bench for the whole season. Of course, I have ambitions to play, but I'm not ready yet."
Talking about his love for the game, Szczesny said, "That love is still there, but I'm a different person. I've grown and become a goalkeeper, a father, a husband. After I retired, my passion is still there and that's what keeps me going."
On the increased media attention, Szczesny said, "It's good to have so much support, but this kind of attention is also something I've tried to avoid for years. I like to live in my own world, with my family."
Finally, Szczesny denied that he is now a pressure-free addition to the chapter: "No, my expectations are high. If I come back, it's to win the title with Barcelona. This year, it's win or lose, there's no other option."
In addition, Szczesny expressed his gratitude for the fact that people admire him even more for acting like a "normal person": "It's a big compliment for me. I never wanted to be seen as a star, I was just a Warsaw kid playing soccer."
