Wojciech Szczęsny endured a night to forget during Barcelona’s dramatic clash against Benfica, with two costly first-half errors leading to goals for the opposition.

However, despite his errors, Barça ultimately emerged victorious in a thrilling encounter.

Reflecting on his first error, which involved a collision with Alejandro Balde and resulted in Benfica’s opening goal, Szczęsny explained:
“I think the timing of my exit was good, but Balde didn’t hear me. Luckily, it was just a goal, and we ended up winning. It was a misunderstanding, but these things happen when both go for the ball. I shouted, he didn’t hear—it was a bit comical, but we won.”

The Polish goalkeeper’s night worsened when his misplaced pass led to Benfica’s third goal and a penalty.

Szczęsny admitted his mistake after reviewing the incident:
“For the third goal, on the field, I thought there wasn’t any contact, but after seeing the replay, it was a penalty. I admit my mistake there.”

Despite his errors, Szczęsny redeemed himself late in the game with a stunning save to deny Angel Di María what could have been a decisive goal for Benfica. However, the keeper was quick to downplay the significance of his heroics:
“The save against Di María wasn’t redemption—it was frustration and my way of helping while we were pushing for the win and defending with just two players. We could’ve accepted the 4-4, but we wanted victory. That’s the Barça culture.”

While Szczęsny’s performance drew criticism, his reflections after the match showcased the resilience and winning mentality that define Barcelona’s approach, even in challenging circumstances.