Barcelona goalkeeper Szczesny has expressed his full understanding of the role he currently plays at the Catalan club, stating that his current goal is to prepare Juan Garcia to become the club’s permanent goalkeeper for the coming years.
The Polish international renewed his two-year contract with Barcelona after his impressive performances last season, but he has not featured this season. Hansi Flick has opted to use Juan Garcia, who joined from Espanyol for €25 million, in La Liga and Champions League matches.
After the Newcastle match, Szczesny was asked about his role as a backup goalkeeper, and he replied, “I am the backup goalkeeper to Juan Garcia, and I will remain so.”
The 34-year-old added, “My role is to prepare Garcia for the big matches. He is already one of the best goalkeepers in Europe, but I want to prepare him to the highest level. I will try to help him.”
He continued, “I’m proud of this role. I’ve been prepared for it since signing the new contract, and I’m not disappointed at all.”
He concluded, “Juan just lacks experience at the highest level, and that needs to be consolidated over time. I’ll try to help him maintain a consistent level throughout the season.”
Szczesny is expected to participate in the Copa del Rey matches, as coach Flick usually rotates his goalkeepers. However, the remaining issue is when Ter Stegen returns from his injury in January, and who will be the starting goalkeeper and first-choice substitute then.
