Szczęsny impresses at the Stadium of Light.
Szczęsny Shines at the Stadium of Light with Historic Performance
Wojciech Szczęsny made history by becoming the first Blaugrana goalkeeper to register eight saves in a match since Marc-André ter Stegen in the 2019/20 season.
A goalkeeper’s role is always demanding, but even more so when you’re forced to play almost 70 minutes with just 10 men. Following Pau Cubarsí’s red card in the first half of Barcelona’s Champions League clash against Benfica in Lisbon, Szczęsny’s heroics were pivotal in helping his side secure a 1-0 win in the first leg of their round of 16 tie at the Estádio da Luz.
Szczęsny was immediately called into action, making his first save just 19 seconds into the game, denying a header from Benfica’s Aktürkoglu. After the red card in the 22nd minute, Benfica ramped up their pressure, firing 26 shots at goal. But the Polish goalkeeper stood firm, making eight saves, five of which came from shots inside the box.
His performance marked a historic feat for Barcelona, as no goalkeeper for the club had made eight saves in a Champions League match since December 2015, when Ter Stegen made nine saves against Bayer Leverkusen (although he conceded that day). The last time a Barça keeper made eight or more saves in all competitions was also Ter Stegen, in the 2019/20 season.
Szczęsny’s brilliant performance is part of a larger trend of consistency. Since joining Barcelona, he has yet to lose a match in his 14 starts, keeping eight clean sheets and conceding fewer than a goal per game with just 13 goals allowed—a stat that has surely pleased the Blaugrana faithful.
