Veteran goalkeeper Wojciech Szczesny insists that he isn’t going to quit smoking despite his shocking return to football with Barcelona. The 33-year-old retired from football after his exit from Juventus in August, only to be persuaded into a shock return following an injury to Barcelona’s first choice, Marc-Andre ter Stegen, in the form of a serious knee injury that will rule him out for months.
Szczesny spoke of his smoking issue in an interview with Mundo Deportivo:
“There are things that I don’t change in my personal life. It’s nobody’s business if I smoke. I believe it doesn’t affect what I do on the pitch; I work twice as hard.”
Szczesny did admit to not smoking around children because he wouldn’t want to be a bad example for them. However, he seemed proud, even with the cameras catching him in the act. “If somebody takes the photo and I am with a cigarette in my hand that is not my problem, that’s their problem.”
The Poland international then went ahead to make it known that he won’t change his lifestyle anytime soon: “I am who I am. I’ve been this way my whole life.”