Wojciech Szczęsny on his horrific injury: I feel pain after every save

Barcelona goalkeeper Wojciech Szczęsny has revealed the unexpected and painful truths of his career. The Polish shot-stopper stated that for over a decade, he has performed every save while enduring intense physical agony. This condition stems from a severe injury he sustained during his youth at Arsenal in London. This is reported by Goal.com reports .

According to Goal.com, an unfortunate incident in the Arsenal training gym in 2008 caused both of Szczęsny's arms to break. Since then, despite playing for major clubs like Roma and Juventus, chronic pain has never left him. The goalkeeper emphasized that this physical torture was the primary reason for his decision to retire after Euro 2024.

Difficulties in daily life

In a conversation with his former teammate Grzegorz Krychowiak, Szczęsny described how much training and matches with Barcelona are costing him. "Catching the ball without pain is impossible for me. I cannot remember a single save in my career where I didn't feel anything. I have simply become accustomed to this unpleasant sensation," says the experienced goalkeeper.

It turns out the pain is not limited to the pitch. After training, inflammation and fatigue in his hands become so severe that even simple household tasks become impossible. Szczęsny admitted that sometimes he cannot even take off his gloves without assistance.

"Sometimes I cannot undo the Velcro on my gloves myself and have to ask someone for help. I cannot even hold a water bottle in my hand or have the strength to open its cap. It takes at least an hour for my hands to recover," he added.

Mental pressure and family relationships

Beyond physical suffering, Wojciech Szczęsny also touched upon his complex relationship with his father, former professional goalkeeper Maciej Szczęsny. According to him, his childhood was spent in fear of his father's return home, which inevitably affected his mental state.

As a reminder, after Barcelona's main goalkeeper Marc-André ter Stegen suffered a serious injury, the Catalan management convinced Szczęsny to come out of retirement. Currently, he continues to regain his fitness and help the team under Hansi Flick, but behind every successful action lies immense physical endurance.