Szczęsny Sends Message to Ter Stegen: 'We Respect the Decision, But I Want to Play in the Champions League'

Wojciech Szczęsny was the player designated by FC Barcelona to appear in the press conference prior to the match between the Blaugrana club and Borussia Dortmund. The match will be played this Tuesday, April 15, at Signal Iduna Park, where the Catalan team will seek to secure their place in the 'semis' of the UEFA Champions League 2024-25, a series that is well underway after the 4-0 victory in the first leg.

The Polish goalkeeper, who is on a great run with the culé club, spoke about various topics, including the return of Marc-André ter Stegen and his competition with the German '1'. Szczęsny referred to the 'contest' with 'MATS', who is about to return to training after a prolonged injury: "I am here to replace Marc, but I want to play in this competition. I respect the opinion, if it were the other way around, we have a good relationship," he warned.

More on Ter Stegen's Return

In turn, regarding the return of Ter Stegen, Szczęsny commented that the situation is being handled calmly and professionally by everyone involved: "He is only focused on returning to training. When he becomes available again, the decision will be the coach's, not ours. There is no tension or discomfort for us. It is a particular and delicate situation. We will understand and respect any decision, we both want what is best for the team. We have not talked about it directly, but we understand the situation," he added.

Regarding the level of play of Marc-André ter Stegen, Szczęsny highlighted the German's quality and made it clear that any comparison between the two would be inappropriate due to the magnitude of the injury suffered by the culé '1': "Marc has been playing at a very high level for a long time, I think he has a very, very high level. Making a comparison between the two makes no sense. He is returning to training after a very serious injury. When he recovers, there will not be many goalkeepers who can compete with his level," he said.

His Renewal with FC Barcelona

'Tek' also spoke about his future at the club, especially about his contract that ends next June 30. Although he did not give details about a possible contract extension, he made it clear that he is focused on the present: "It is not something I think too much about, I have a contract until the end of the season and I focus on playing the matches. I do not want to waste my energy on contract negotiations or the future. I want to focus on the team we have to play against tomorrow and give my best version," he emphasized.

🎙️ WOJCIECH SZCZĘSNY: “We have only big games from now until the end of the season and I want to focus on playing the best football that I can.” #BVBBarça @ChampionsLeague pic.twitter.com/T1Hi6xaWk1

— FC Barcelona (@FCBarcelona) April 14, 2025

Likewise, Szczęsny talked about what he brings to the team and how he manages the pressure with the experience that age has given him: "With age, one manages pressure differently; they may be more enthusiastic. I remain calmer, my Spanish is not yet good enough to help them. With the attitude, I do try to do it," he said.

Regarding his adaptation to FC Barcelona, Wojciech was satisfied with the team and, especially, with the winning culture he has found at the club: "I like the fact of winning. A few months ago I was on the beach and I didn't want to play football and now I'm in one of the best teams in Europe. The time we invest in training is incredible, I like it a lot. Winning is what I like the most," he said.

The Option of a Treble for FC Barcelona

Szczęsny was also optimistic about Barcelona's chances of winning multiple titles this season: "I want to win big trophies. I am getting closer to winning this competition. I will take and take advantage of this opportunity to achieve something very important for the club," he pointed out.

The Moment of His Signing for the Blaugrana Club and Robert Lewandowski's Role

Szczęsny recalled the moment he received the call to sign for Barça, describing how the opportunity to join the club arose: "I was playing golf with my son. Before that moment, I had already received some signal. It's strange, I don't think there are many players who have been called by Barça while being in such a situation, but it was very natural," he revealed.

Finally, 'Tek' recalled the key support of his compatriot Robert Lewandowski in his first days in Barcelona, something that helped him adapt to the city and the club: "The first call I received was from Robert. During the first weeks he helped me a lot to get to Barcelona with my family. I was very lucky to coincide with him at Barça and also with a diverse group of people who helped me a lot. It was a difficult transition after leaving football. Robert and his family, along with other friends, were a real support," he concluded.