The first El Clásico of the season took place a week ago, where Barcelona lost 2–1 to Real Madrid. The match was full of tension, with arguments and shoving between players from both sides. Emotions ran high even after the final whistle. However, amid all the chaos, Barcelona’s Polish goalkeeper Wojciech Szczęsny remained remarkably calm.
Szczęsny, who made nine saves in the match including one from a penalty, later shared a piece of advice for players who tend to lose their temper—learn to stay composed and practice meditation.
“I learned early in my career that emotions don’t help you,” Szczęsny said. “So in moments like that, I isolate myself from everyone else. After the El Clásico, when everyone was arguing and losing their cool, I just kept thinking, ‘We lost the match, but it’s time to move on.’ My advice to everyone is—practice meditation and get into the habit of taking deep breaths.”
He further added, “I meditate before matches and also during halftime. People often look at me strangely because I do it right in the locker room. But I think taking long, calm breaths is important, both in tense situations and in normal moments.”
Szczęsny’s performance in the El Clásico was outstanding. No goalkeeper had made nine saves in this fixture since 2017. Moreover, he became the first keeper since the 2015–16 season to save a penalty in a Barça–Real clash.
Explaining his penalty-saving technique, he said, “Before every game, I analyze the penalty takers. I watch videos of their last 20 shots to understand their patterns. Sometimes I can even tell from their run-up which direction they’ll shoot.”
He added, “In key moments, players often stick to their habits. So I always prepare beforehand. I had studied Mbappé’s penalties—he scored against me last season, and I was confident he would shoot in the same direction again. That’s exactly what happened, and luckily, I managed to save it.”