Szczesny, lifeguard without reward.
Hi community!
After his strong first half, he kept Barça in the air by saving Mbappé's penalty.
'Tek' was the best Barça player at the Bernabéu at 35, but the team failed to capitalize on him.
https://es.uefa.com/uefachampionsleague/clubs/players/108501--wojciech-szczesny/
It's an incalculable achievement that a goalkeeper who 13 months ago was sitting on a sun lounger in Marbella, smoking and enjoying the sun, continues to be a Barça stalwart in a match of the magnitude of a Clásico. For Wojciech Szczesny, the spectacle that the Bernabéu imposes on many days didn't exist. A Madrid side that came out expecting things and living off Barça's constant and unforgivable errors in creating goals could have even scored a goal, but the imposing figure of the Polish goalkeeper, at 35 years old, left a hungry opponent wanting more after repeatedly failing in all four Clásicos last season.
'Tek' confessed in the preview that Kylian Mbappé has his measure. "He has a knack for me," he admitted after conceding eight goals from the Frenchman, five last season. But Szczesny showed why few things can shake his cool, especially at this stage of his career. Even a penalty awarded by Soto Grado at the request of Iglesias Villanueva's VAR after Eric Garcia's handball in the box as the ball was already going over the byline. The Riojan didn't hesitate in front of the camera and awarded a penalty that the goalkeeper exceptionally saved from Mbappé in the 52nd minute. It would have been 3-1 for Real Madrid and almost the final score for Los Blancos, but 'Tek's' left-footed glove thwarted him, keeping the reigning La Liga champions alive.
After conceding four penalties last season and two this season, this is the first penalty Szczesny has saved since joining Barça to replace the injured Marc ter Stegen. Capable of saving a penalty from Leo Messi at the 2022 World Cup, this time he was called up to replace Joan Garcia, earning a top score with a brilliant performance at the Bernabéu.
His first half had already been fantastic, with four saves after even touching the ball with his right foot to help Mbappé make it 1-0. The goal gave Real Madrid wings against a directionless Barça side that conceded other clear chances to Mbappé, Huijsen, Vinicius, and Bellingham. The reigning champions came into the halftime break feeling confident, and they also survived thanks to Szczesny with over half an hour left after his stunning penalty save. Madrid gradually lost momentum in attack, although they continued to attack with less fierce shots that were saved by 'Tek,' but Barça, with an unfamiliar Lamine Yamal, lacked the resources to capitalize on them and give the Pole any rewards. He deserved it. Juventus had more say about Thibaut Courtois than Barça. A bad sign.
See You soon!
Posted Using INLEO