Barcelona pleasantly surprised by new signing’s fitness levels

Wojciech Szczesny arrived at FC Barcelona this past week, signing a deal until the end of the season. But his arrival came with understandable questions surrounding his fitness.

After all, the 34-year-old had not played since the UEFA Euro 2024 in Germany and had announced his retirement in August after terminating his contract at Juventus.

Naturally, there were some concerns as to how long it would take for Szczesny to get match-fit and be ready for Barça.

Barcelona pleasantly surprised

Now, according to Mundo Deportivo, Barcelona are understood to be pleasantly surprised by the fitness levels shown by Szczesny upon his arrival last week.

As mentioned earlier, Szczesny announced his retirement, following which he settled in his home in Marbella with his family.

Szczesny is said to be in good shape. (Photo courtesy: FC Barcelona official website)

But a call from Barcelona changed the goalkeeper’s plans as he made a U-turn on his retirement and accepted the Catalans’ offer.

Since joining the club, the veteran Pole’s physical condition has been surprisingly good. Contrary to expectations, he has maintained his fitness during his unofficial retirement, with teammates even expressing that he looks great.

Those within the club even confidently assert that he could be ready to play soon, especially with the upcoming two-week international break allowing him to further improve.

In addition to regular training sessions, Szczesny is also engaging in extra strength work in the gym, as well as training in goal.

The report states the 34-year-old had been working on his fitness well into the month of August and what he needed was to get back his instincts between the sticks. And all signs point towards him being ready to play for Barcelona soon.