Key Points
First Barcelona appearance marks unexpected career milestone
Copa del Rey match highlights goalkeeper's resilience
Personal family moment during historic game
Surprise partnership with Lewandowski at Barcelona
On Saturday, Szczesny played 90 minutes against UD Barbastro in Copa del Rey as the team coached by Hansi Flick won 4-0.
"The debut was special for me. I feel proud. My brother came from Poland to watch the match from the stands. The rest of the family watched it on TV. At the end of my career, I didn't think I could play for Barcelona," the goalkeeper told Polish media on Tuesday.
The 34-year-old waited three months for his first appearance in the Catalan team. "When I signed the contract, I had already been out of training for three months. I had announced my retirement earlier. I was aware that I needed time. It was even possible that I wouldn't play a single match for the team," the Pole added.
Szczesny was satisfied with his performance, reports Xinhua. "I felt very good on the pitch. I had no problems staying focused. I think I did my job well and I hope I get more chances. I'm happy we advanced into the next round. It was the kind of game you have to win and we did it," Szczesny explained.
The Pole admitted that his compatriot Robert Lewandowski helped him adapt to the club.
"I'm from Warsaw, Robert comes from the city near Warsaw. None of us ever imagined that we would live to see a moment when two Poles would be the players of FC Barcelona. This is an exceptional scenario. I never imagined anything like this," Szczesny concluded.
