Barcelona goalkeeper Wojciech Szczesny has voluntarily decided to give up his place in the starting lineup for the upcoming match against Villarreal, allowing Marc Andre ter Stegen to return to the first eleven.
According to Idman.Biz, citing Spanish media, the Polish goalkeeper convinced head coach Hans Dieter Flick to reconsider his initial decision.
Flick had originally planned to start Szczesny, but changed his choice after a three way meeting involving both goalkeepers. During the discussion, Szczesny stressed the importance of giving Ter Stegen match practice, as the German had been sidelined for a long time due to injury and later dropped to third choice in Barcelona’s goalkeeping hierarchy. Szczesny himself stated that he was ready to remain on the bench.
It is noted that Barcelona’s coaching staff and club management viewed Szczesny’s decision as a sign of professionalism and strong team spirit. Meanwhile, social media users jokingly dubbed the goalkeeper the “king of rest”.
