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Flick backed Szczesny as the Blaugrana’s first-choice goalkeeper despite his high-profile mistakes that led to goal against Benfica in the UEFA Champions League match between the sides.
Wojciech Szczesny. (X)
Barcelona head coach Hansi Flick backed his side’s shot-stopper Wojciech Szczesny as the Blaugrana’s first-choice goalkeeper despite his high-profile mistakes that led to goal against Benfica in the UEFA Champions League match between the sides.
The Catalan giants convinced Szczesny to come out of retirement and join their ranks following a long-term injury to Mark Andre Ter Stegen in October. Inaki Pena is the side’s backup goalkeeper.
Barcelona ensured their progress to the last 16 of the revamped edition of the UCL with their 5-4 win over Benfica despite Szczesny’s error-prone display and are slated to take on Atalanta in their next continental encounter.
“My job is to make the decision on this position. For me Tek (Szczesny) is an experienced player and he has a good personality, but both of them are great goalkeepers,” Flick began.
“I decided, also with my team, my coaching staff, for Tek,” the German coach added.
Flick touched upon how both the custodians had done well for the side, but added that he had made the decision along with his staff to choose the experienced former Polish international as the team’s mainstay keeper.
“Both are very good, and in the past Inaki did a good job, but now I decided like that,” the 59-year-old said.
“I always look for the good of the team, and this is how we act,” he reiterated.
Barcelona stand second in the UCL table, only behind table-topper Liverpool, with 18 points from seven as the Catalan side has managed six wins and just a single loss in the group stages of the revamped elite European competition.
The Blaugrana stand third in the La Liga table at the end of 21 game weeks, seven points behind leaders Real Madrid and three behind second-placed Atletico Madrid.
