Barcelona‘s goalkeeper Wojciech Szczesny said he was stunned after not winning the Man of the Match award against Benfica. This comes after Pedri was awarded the MOTM in their 1-0 win over Benfica in the first leg of the UEFA Champions League round of 16.
In a post-match interview after the game, Szczesny shared his thoughts about not winning the MOTM award ahead of his teammate Pedri. He said (via Barca Universal):
“Well, he got the award, but I guess I can take half of it home.” asked Pedri, ‘What sport do I play that I didn’t get the Man of the Match award?.”
He added:
“Maybe for the good of football, goalkeepers shouldn’t get the man of the match award. But for me, the clean sheet is enough.”
Szczesny put in a good shift against Benfica and was arguably La Blaugrana’s best player. The Polish goalkeeper faced 26 shots but kept a clean sheet.
He also registered eight saves, made five clearances, and had a 9.5/10 rating (via Sofascore). His brilliance in goal was one of the key factors that guaranteed Barcelona’s victory.
Since joining Barca as a free agent in October 2024, Szczesny has been an outstanding makeshift goalkeeper. In 14 games, he has kept eight clean sheets and conceded 13 goals.
The tie it’s not over yet” – Barcelona’s manager Hansi Flick reveals
Barca’s manager Hansi Flick has claimed that the tie against Benfica is not over yet. This comes after his team secured an important 1-0 away win over the Portuguese side.
In an interview after the game, Flick appeared to have issued a warning to his squad and the supporters. He said (via Barca Universal):
“The tie it’s not over yet. I know we’re in a good position now, but I also know that anything is possible in football… The second leg will be complicated.”
Despite that, Barcelona are going into the second leg with a one-goal advantage, Flick has claimed that it won’t be an easy task to eliminate Benfica. The second leg is scheduled to be played at the Camp Nou on Tuesday (March 11).
Edited by Vaishnavi Iyer
