Barcelona veteran growing in confidence with each passing match | OneFootball

Wojciech Szczesny was pivotal for Barcelona in their 1-4 victory against Sevilla, and it appears that he is becoming a talisman for the team.

The Polish goalkeeper made several key interventions while the match was still tied at 1-1, before his teammates killed the tie with goals in the second period.

After having come under scrutiny after replacing Inaki Pena as the No. 1 goalkeeper, Szczesny put in another solid display against Sevilla, further solidifying his position in the team.

Growing in confidence

In fact, Mundo Deportivo reports that the former Juventus and Arsenal star is growing in confidence with each passing game, having not lost even once while starting for Barcelona.

Indeed, one of the reasons Hansi Flick gave for relegating Inaki Pena to the bench was that, with Szczesny in goal, Barcelona have yet to suffer a defeat.

The Polish goalkeeper has now started nine matches so far across La Liga, Copa del Rey, Spanish Super Cup, and the UEFA Champions League.

During these appearances, he has conceded ten goals and kept four clean sheets (against Barbastro, Athletic Club, Alaves, and Valencia in Copa del Rey), with Barça not losing any.

Szczesny proving his worth. (Photo by David Ramos/Getty Images)

These statistics are slightly overshadowed by the four goals conceded in a single match, which came in the 4-5 win over Benfica.

Szczesny made some questionable decisions that night, but it is worth noting that he also prevented a late goal by Angel Di María in the 89th minute, a save that was pivotal in their win.

As for Sunday’s game against Sevilla, one notable moment came when Isaac Romero entered the penalty area, but his attempt was thwarted by a vital save from Szczesny, who dived to clear the danger.

The 34-year-old also made a crucial stop from a bicycle kick by Dodi Lukebakio, which was heading towards goal.

Szczesny’s position as first-choice goalkeeper seems unquestionable, with Barcelona already reaching the Copa del Rey semifinals, the Champions League Round of 16, and sitting just two points behind league leaders Real Madrid.