Barcelona Prepare for Atalanta Clash with Szczesny as First-Choice Goalkeeper

Barcelona coach Hansi Flick has confirmed Wojciech Szczesny as the team's first-choice goalkeeper, despite mistakes in the 5-4 win over Benfica.

Barcelona coach Hansi Flick has announced that Wojciech Szczesny will be the team's first-choice goalkeeper, ahead of Inaki Pena. Flick revealed that he and his staff made the decision to choose Szczesny, who was brought out of retirement as an emergency signing in October following Marc-Andre ter Stegen's severe knee injury. Pena had been the club's number one during the first half of the season, but Szczesny has been chosen for the previous two matches.

Flick explained the reasoning behind his decision, praising Szczesny's experience and personality. “My job is to make the decision on this position... for me Tek (Szczesny) is an experienced player and he has a good personality, but both of them are great goalkeepers,” Flick said during a news conference ahead of the Champions League clash with Atalanta on Wednesday. Flick emphasized that the decision was made in consultation with his coaching staff and with the team's best interests in mind.

Flick acknowledged Pena's contributions to the team in the past, but stated that he has decided to go with Szczesny for now. “I decided, also with my team, my coaching staff, for Tek... both are very good, and in the past Inaki did a good job, but now I decided like that.” Flick reiterated that his primary concern is the team's success, saying, “I always look for the (good of) the team, and this is how we act.”

🎙️ HANSI FLICK: "Against teams from Italy it's always difficult to play because they really defend very well. It's not easy to play against Atalanta, they play one against one on the whole field. In the build-up you are always under pressure."#BarcaAtalanta | @ChampionsLeague pic.twitter.com/IhPPr5VtLf

— FC Barcelona (@FCBarcelona) January 28, 2025

Barcelona has already secured its spot in the Champions League last 16, thanks to a thrilling 5-4 victory over Benfica last week. However, the win was not without its concerns, as goalkeeper Wojciech Szczesny made two crucial errors that led to goals. Despite these mistakes, Barcelona has enjoyed a perfect record in the five matches Szczesny has played in this season.

The club has been dealt a blow, however, with the news that defender Andreas Christensen will be sidelined for three weeks due to a calf injury. This is a significant setback for the Danish defender, who had only recently recovered from an Achilles tendon issue and has not played since August. Christensen's absence will be felt, and Barcelona will need to adapt to his absence.

Atalanta, meanwhile, is eager to secure a top-eight finish in the Champions League, which would ensure a more favorable draw in the knockout stages. The Italian side currently occupies seventh place and is third in Serie A. With a strong performance against Barcelona, Atalanta can take a significant step towards achieving its goal and setting itself up for success in the competition.