Barcelona have officially registered veteran goalkeeper Wojciech Szczesny ahead of their La Liga clash against Rayo Vallecano.
The Polish shot-stopper, who came out of retirement last season to help the team, is now fully available for Hansi Flick.
The move comes at the right time, as Barça were left without a proper back-up goalkeeper following Inaki Pena’s departure.
Szczesny’s name reappeared on the official squad list on Saturday night, confirming that the club had finally managed to adjust their finances and create the space needed to register him.
How Barcelona created room for Szczesny
Barcelona had to carefully manage their financial fair play situation to make Szczesny’s registration possible.
The club executed a series of moves in recent days – Inaki Pena was loaned out to Elche, Jan Virgili was sold to Mallorca, and Oriol Romeu’s contract was mutually terminated.
These exits allowed Barça to open the necessary space to bring Szczesny back into the squad.
Pena’s departure was especially important for this operation. The goalkeeper was renewed until 2029, with the deal structured to spread his wages over a longer term.
This adjustment helped the club ease their salary limit and make room for Szczesny.
What next for Szczesny?
Now registered, Szczesny will serve as the back-up option, replacing Pena’s role in the squad. However, it remains to be seen how Hansi Flick plans to use him.
Last season, even when Pena was available, he the Pole featured in competitive games. Whether Szczesny will get opportunities beyond sitting on the bench is something that will unfold in the coming weeks.
With Szczesny’s situation sorted, Barcelona now turn their focus to finalising the registration of Roony Bardghji.
For now, Barça fans can take comfort knowing that an experienced goalkeeper like Szczesny is back in the mix, ensuring Flick has depth and stability in a crucial position.
