Smoking persistently in locker rooms, wed to a popular Ukrainian singer, and addressing Barcelona's appeal on the golf course - the improbable hero Wojciech Szczesny is stirring a quest for a quadruple title before the match against Inter Milan.
Wojciech Szczesny's journey in the world of football has taken a wild turn.
Last August, the former Arsenal goalkeeper, who was enjoying a relaxated life of golf and retirement in Marbella, might've been preparing to catch up on Champions League action on MailOnline.
Now, he's gearing up to face off in the semi-finals with Barcelona — a team he answered to in the midst of their goalkeeper crisis, back in October. Szczesny's move came as a desperate plea, issued from the glamorous beaches and golf courses of Marbella.
In true Szczesny fashion, he's making his own rules. He still chainsmokes in the changerooms, a habit that got him into trouble with Arsene Wenger at Arsenal, and even helps write lyrics for his Ukrainian pop star wife, Marina Luczenko.
Despite being 35 years old, Szczesny is on a roll with Barcelona. With only one loss under his belt, he has won 22 of the 26 games he's played in, keeping 13 clean sheets. The team's drive towards a potential Quadruple under manager Hansi Flick only seems to get stronger with the support of their unlikely hero.
He's already got the Spanish Cup and Supercup under his belt, is making a strong push for the LaLiga title, and on Wednesday night will attempt to shut out Inter Milan in the Champions League semi-finals.
With all this success, it's likely to stir mixed feelings among Arsenal fans, who knew Szczesny merely as a likeable, dependable, but not necessarily world-class goalkeeper. It's hard to think of him now as the central figure in ambitious Barca's quest for multiple trophies, while Arsenal struggles to even make it to the Champions League.
And when he retired in August following his stint with Juventus, it looked like Szczesny's dream of winning Europe's premier competition was over. How quickly things can change.
"We'll see if it's one of the best [football stories ever]," he told ESPN. "It's interesting. It can become one of the best. We'll see when we talk at the end of May."
This wild ride started when Barcelona's first-choice goalie, Marc-Andre ter Stegen, suffered a debilitating knee injury in a 5-1 win over Villarreal in October[1]. The German was eventually sidelined for months, making the team's need for an experienced hand in goal painfully clear. In stepped Szczesny.
"At first I didn't know, it was so fast, too random," he told ESPN. "But I was looking at the Barcelona team and I was thinking, can this team do something special this season? Yes. Will I be able to live with myself if I say no and they do something big? No."[3]
Old pal Robert Lewandowski made the initial call to test the waters, and soon Szczesny was making headlines by announcing his return to football just 36 days after retiring[5].
Pre-retirement, Szczesny had stated that his body was still game for challenges, but his heart just wasn't in it anymore[5]. But it didn't take long for his heartbeat to return — and to the tune of a potential Quadruple win. "Visca el Barca!" — long live Barca! — he declared in a video message to fans.
Some might say Szczesny breaks the rules. Clubs typically maintain strict control over the substances their players consume, but smoking isn't something the eccentric goalie plans on giving up[6].
"There are things that I don't change in my personal life, and it's nobody's business if I smoke," he told Mundo Deportivo. "I believe that it doesn't affect what I do on the pitch, I work twice as hard."[6]
In his spare moments, Szczesny can be found playing the piano and guitar, and penning lyrics for his pop star wife, Marina Luczenko. And with his charming Ukrainian wife and two adorable children, it seems like he's built a life that's just as captivating off the field as it is on it.[7]
With his impressive record and undeniable charm, it's looking like Barcelona wants Szczesny to stick around for more than just the summer. The duo are in talks for a contract extension[7].
For a game that's often criticized for its lack of originality and unpredictability, Szczesny's tale is shaping up to be nothing short of one heck of a story. Whether it'll prove to be one of the best football stories ever will have to wait until May. But for now, Szczesny's unlikely heroics are keeping fans captivated.
- Wojciech Szczesny, once preparing for Champions League action in retirement, is now gearing up to face Barcelona in the semi-finals of the competition, having been signed by them in October.
- Despite having retired in August, Szczesny is currently on a roll with Barcelona, winning 22 out of 26 games he's played, keeping 13 clean sheets, and having already won the Spanish Cup and Supercup.
- With a strong push for the LaLiga title and an attempt to shut out Inter Milan in the Champions League semi-finals, Szczesny is becoming the central figure in Barcelona's quest for multiple trophies.
- Szczesny's unique habits, such as smoking in the changerooms, have been a part of his life and he doesn't plan on giving them up, asserting that they don't affect his performance on the pitch.
- Through his charm, impressive record, and original story, Szczesny's future with Barcelona mightnot be limited to just the summer, with talks of a contract extension underway.
