Szczesny advances in his 'mini preseason' with FC Barcelona

The FC Barcelona coaching staff continues with the work plan planned for the development of Wojciech Szczesny. The Pole began his 'mini preseason' with the Blaugrana team last Thursday, which is why he was left out of the squad to visit Alavés. With the bulk of the Barcelona internationals away during the break, Barça has minimized the squad's training this week, with only two days scheduled for Tuesday and Wednesday.

Meanwhile, the Pole continues to work on the physical part, with sessions to gain the strength and muscle tone necessary to return to action. The one from Warsaw played his last game on June 25 against France in the group stage of the Euro Cup (1-1), a compelling reason to avoid the risk of possible injuries derived from his long inactivity. However, the former Juventus goalkeeper is confident he can be ready to play next week.

Good morning With Wojciech Szczęsny! pic.twitter.com/a3me33piji

— FC Barcelona (@FCBarcelona_is) October 9, 2024

Szczesny hopes to be included in the Barça-Sevilla squad

In that sense, the Pole will intensify his work in the coming days, with the aim of being available for the first post-break match, on Sunday, October 20 against Sevilla. Szczesny is already registered in both LaLiga and the Champions League, so the decision on whether or not to include him in the squads is exclusive to the coaching staff. Hansi Flick made it clear before Alavés-Barça that, although the former Juventus goalkeeper arrived in Catalunya in very good physical condition, he still needed specific work before playing.

Thus, Wojciech will have to wait a few days to define the date of his debut with Barça. In principle, Iñaki Peña should remain a starter in the League if he does not make serious mistakes. In the Champions League, the logic is to trust the Warsaw player's experience, once he is physically fit. Barça held their second training session of the week this Wednesday, without the former Polish international participating in a game against the reserve team. Next week, it is likely that the staff will give him the opportunity to take a shortcut to conclude his 'mini preseason'.