Unretired and unbeaten: Szczesny's fairytale return to football
Just over 200 days ago, Wojciech Szczesny's heart wasn't in it anymore. We know because that's exactly how he announced his out-of-the-blue retirement.
The Poland international renounced a couple of million euros in salary, reimbursing Juventus, and quit the sport where his achievements had superseded "even my wildest dreams."
That retirement lasted just over a month of lounging about on Spain's Costa del Sol, putting his family first.
Then Marc-André ter Stegen got injured, Barcelona called (via international teammate Robert Lewandowski) and Szczesny went into Jake and Elwood Blues mode: He decided it was a good idea to get the band back together.
Today that big Polish heart is going pitter-patter just a little faster as he's undefeated in 17 starts for Barcelona (14 wins, three draws) during which he's won a trophy, been sent off in a Clásico, gone top of LaLiga, become a favourite to reach the UEFA Champions League semifinal and -- barely believably -- is in line to win a fabled treble for a club that, previously, only meant heartache for him.
Talk of a contract renewal is already in the air, and it may well happen before his 35th birthday next month.
Ladies and gentlemen: Wojciech Szczesny is the story of the season.
That was emphasised in Sunday's dazzling 4-2 win at Atletico Madrid which, if you didn't watch, what the heck were you thinking? The stunning 2-0 down, 4-2 up comeback win put Barça ahead of Real Madrid (even if tied on points) with a game in hand (vs. Osasuna at home in 10 days' time) and four ahead of Atleti plus that same game in hand.
Szczesny was as blunt about this victory as he was about his own decision to walk away from the game last summer.
He told Gabby Amado on La Liga TV: "We're happy with this massive result. But, as human beings, we have to feel a little bit sorry for the opposition because for as long as they had the energy, I felt that Atleti were better than us.
"They played deep, but very efficiently ... and then going forward they took their chances so you have to give them lots of credit.
"Then, when they ran out of energy, we showed our ruthless side. If you're given a little bit more space, plus chances to score, that's what will happen."
When the 34-year-old was, out of the blue, made first-choice goalkeeper, with academy boy Iñaki Peña demoted, there was both consternation and a good degree of chaos. Polish correspondent friends had immediately warned me, when Szczesny joined Barça, that he'd never consistently played behind a high defensive line nor was he a big fan of the concept of the "sweeper keeper."
Those were very bad augers. Especially for a guy recalled from retirement
Nevertheless, Barça boss Hansi Flick kicked Peña out and promoted a guy who had given up on football and set himself to smoking, shopping for groceries, and watching the Mediterranean sunset down in Marbella.
What immediately happened was that the ex-Arsenal, Juventus and AS Roma man was sent off in the Spanish Supercopa Clásico final (late coming out of his box to intercept from Kylian Mbappé), and then performed with towering uncertainty of judgement in a Champions League match against Benfica that ended 5-4 in Barcelona's favour. That was thanks to some miraculous football from the Catalans -- but not really thanks to the mid-pitch collision between Szczesny and his defender Alejandro Balde (which cost a goal), or the penalty that the Pole needlessly gave away and Benfica converted.
As true as all this is, I think we are used to footballers who deflect reality, craft their responses to be upbeat and favourable -- less used to them confronting the truth straight on.
But on Sunday night Szczesny argued: "It's a coincidence we've never lost while I've been in goal -- I don't take much credit for it. The team has been unbelievable, and you just try not to mess it up for them. I just try to stay focused.
"Like here against Atleti ... those two goals, I couldn't do much about them; at least that's what I feel. What this team does is remarkable, so I hope they take all the credit for recent results. Not me."
I've bumped into Szczesny only once since he took his boots out of the loft. It was at Barça's training ground, and gave me a glimpse of the character that, in part, convinced Flick to take his gamble.
While waiting for an interview with Lamine Yamal, Szczesny arrived for a podcast with Barça's in-house channel. Let me tell you that, in person, he looks far bigger than in match situations; physically imposing. But that's nothing compared to how his character literally fills a room: this guy oozes "presence."
When he'd finished his long chat, and we were breaking down our improvised "set" for the Yamal interview, Szczesny strolled out, with a calm "Adiós." About 15 seconds after the door closed, it opened again, he leaned the top half of his long upper half through the doorway and loudly stated: "And, I think someone owes me a big thanks for going 90 minutes without a single cigarette!"
Lamine Yamal joins ESPN FC to react to Barcelona's 4-2 win against Atletico Madrid.
I'd say it was 80% a jokey remark, 20% of a warning for future encounters. Then, off he strode without waiting for a response.
Hugely enjoyable to watch, this guy has more than enough personality for the tests awaiting him. And there are plenty on the horizon.
Szczesny joined with crystal-clear memories of what kind of pain an in-form Barça side can inflict. In fact, the Blaugrana colours used to signify nothing but hurt and disappointment to him.
His Champions League debut was against Pep Guardiola's Barça, in London, which Arsenal won 2-1. But at Camp Nou, 17 minutes in, he dislocated a finger coping with a Dani Alves shot, trooped off injured, and watched as Robin van Persie was sent off as the Catalans knocked Arsenal out.
Four years later, accompanied by Antonio Rüdiger, both of them in AS Roma colours, Szczesny shipped in six goals in a Champions League thrashing by the Lionel Messi-Luis Suarez-Neymar trident.
And now, here he is: The Lazarus-like hero. But also super-realistic about what earned "his" Barça their 4-2 triumph at the Metropolitano on Sunday.
"I think what made the difference was energy levels," he said. "We found more spaces at the end of the match. Not because we played good, but because Atleti ran out of that energy to make the extra tackle and run the extra yard -- which is natural after such a tough week as they had.
"But you have to take those chances when they come. Being ruthless in a situation like that is what winners do. Maybe it wasn't our best performance, but it was a very mature from us.
"All of this is a new challenge for me because I was already retired -- I don't feel the youngest! To come to such a big club with such a young dressing room is something I've never experienced before. I'm trying to help as much as I can with my maturity and with experience.
"It's very exciting for me because what [Barça's young footballers] give you back in exchange is just great. I love football, I love its emotion, but I love winning!
"And with this team you win lots. I'm delighted about how things have gone over the last six months."
Understandably so. Szczesny's return from retirement is beyond the stuff that dreams are made of.
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