“It’s some sort of joke” - Wojciech Szczesny names Barcelona teammate who asks him not to concede penalty before every game

By Rahul Naresh

Modified Apr 25, 2025 09:21 GMT

Borussia Dortmund v FC Barcelona - UEFA Champions League 2024/25 Quarter Final Second Leg - Source: Getty — Barcelona goalkeeper Wojciech Szczesny

Barcelona goalkeeper Wojciech Szczesny revealed how his teammate Pau Victor jokingly asks him not to concede a penalty before every game. The pair have played just six matches with one another across competitions, given that the Polish shot-stopper joined the Catalan outfit only this season.

He's also seemingly there for a short while, with his current agreement running out in the summer. Szczesny, who has conceded a few penalties this season, said in a recent interview (via @BarcaUniversal):

"Before every match, Pau Victor comes to me and says: 'Hey, don't commit a penalty today.' It's some sort of joke between us."

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While Victor may be saying this light-heartedly, there is little room for error towards the end of the season for the Blaugrana. They're gunning to win the La Liga title and UEFA Champions League, with the team placed top of the Spanish top-flight standings.

They're four points clear of their arch-rivals Real Madrid with six games remaining in the league season. Meanwhile, Barcelona have a tricky semi-final fixture in the Champions League against Inter Milan, who have done well in this campaign.

The first leg of this tie will be played at the Estadi Olimpic Lluis Companys on Wednesday, April 30. Szczesny is highly likely to start this match, having made 25 appearances across competitions this year, keeping 13 clean sheets.

Barcelona goalkeeper Wojciech Szczesny lavishes praise on defence for incredible 2025 record

Barcelona goalkeeper Wojciech Szczesny did not take much credit for his team's imperious form in 2025. So far this calendar year, the Catalan side have lost just one of their 27 matches across competitions.

However, the 35-year-old believes he deserves little credit for this record. Praising the backline, who sit in front of him, the former Arsenal and Juventus star told ESPN in an interview:

"The team is playing very good football, scoring a lot of goals. You try not to mess it up for them. That's about it. I've just been lucky to step into the goal at the moment where the team started winning games."

"Also how we defend. It makes my job much easier because when they want to defend and they block every shot, win every tackle, every header."

Up next for Barcelona is a Clasico against Real Madrid in the final of the Copa del Rey on Saturday, April 26. Hansi Flick and Co. head into this tie on the back of a 1-0 win over Mallorca on April 22.

About the author

Rahul has been a European football journalist for Sportskeeda since 2023. A B.B.A. L.L.B. graduate, he captained his university football team and also played for Boca Juniors Football School during his initial years, and also coached his university's girls team. He always aims to translate his tactical awareness, knowledge of the sport and first-hand experience into well-researched articles for his readers.

A follower of the beautiful game since 2014, Rahul is an avid Arsenal and a match-going Bengaluru FC fan. His favorite footballer is Mesut Ozil due to his love for nimble-footed playmakers, while his favorite manager is the legendary Arsene Wenger owing to the Frenchman's attractive style of football.

Rahul, whose favorite FIFA World Cup moment is Lionel Messi lifting the trophy in 2022, has interviewed grassroots expert Tom Byer in the past and gained insight into Japanese football. He also believes Kylian Mbappe and Erling Haaland can rule the footballing world and take Ronaldo and Messi's place.

When he is not writing, Rahul likes to spend his time playing football, following the Indian Super League and watching other sports. He is also a huge cricket fan and supports Royal Challengers Bengaluru.

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Edited by Rahul Naresh