Chesney’s Secret Playbook: How a Penalty Save Shaped a Clasico Night

Match snapshot: Szczesny shines in a tense Clasico

Polish goalkeeper Wojciech Szczesny, Barça's shot-stopper, starred for his side in a 2-1 loss to Real Madrid at the Santiago Bernabéu on Sunday, in La Liga's tenth round.

His save prevented Madrid from pulling ahead by forcing a recap of the game’s pressure: Mbappé's penalty was stopped, keeping the score at 2-1 and leaving a glimmer of hope for Barça in the second half.

Despite the defeat, Szczesny was arguably Barça's best on the night, producing nine saves and earning among the highest ratings for players on the pitch.

In a Barcelona YouTube interview, the Barça keeper explained his meticulous approach to preparation, especially when facing penalties.

“I study penalty-taker decisions closely, watching the last 20 penalties before every game from two or three main takers,” he said, shedding light on his data-driven mindset.

“Sometimes I gather information from their careers; their style can shift with the moment, so I try to collect as much data as possible,” he added, highlighting the chess game behind each spot-kick.

When analyzing Mbappé's penalty, Szczesny recalled facing one of his shots in last season's Clasico return at Montjuïc, noting the pattern he expected and the crowd’s energy.

“It was clear,” he recalled. “He would pick the same side as before. You have to reach the ball—and maybe add a touch of prayer.”

The custodian also joked that meditation helps him perform; “emotions don’t help me in the moment,” he quipped, recalling how after the Clasico everyone argued while he reminded himself it’s just a game.

He emphasized breathing exercises before matches and even at halftime, caring little for others’ opinions in the locker room. “Work on your breath in tough conditions—cold or hot,” he advised.

Asked about teammates, Szczesny joked about Lewandowski’s table tennis prowess, saying the Polish striker never loses, even if he isn’t always the best at it—an amusing nod to distractions around the squad.

Regarding Rashford, he spoke with admiration for the youngster who exploded onto the scene at eighteen in the Premier League, noting his ability to strike from nothing and how that talent translates on the training ground and in big matches.

He also praised Barça’s La Masia academy, saying every youngster who trains there is technically impressive and that the challenge lies in earning minutes for the first team.

In a broader nod to rivals and legends, Szczesny mentioned the five best goalkeepers in history as Buffon, Yashin, Neuer, a top version of Cech, and his own name joining that pantheon.

Madrid, under new coach Xabi Alonso, ended Barça’s Clasico dominance, with the Catalan side having swept last season’s clashes across competitions.

Real Madrid struck first with two goals from Kylian Mbappé and Jude Bellingham in the 22nd and 43rd minutes, while Mbappé also missed a penalty in the 52nd. Fermín López netted Barça's only goal in the 38th minute, and Pedri saw red in stoppage time.

With the win, Madrid climbed to 27 points atop La Liga, while Barcelona sat on 22.

And now for something lighter: Punchline time, because even a goalkeeper deserves a mic drop—sniper-level humor incoming.

Punchline 1: If penalties were a dating app, Szczesny would always swipe right on the ball—swift, precise, and never leading you on.

Punchline 2: He doesn’t just save shots; he saves the plot twist in a Clasico—the ball just knows when to surrender to the glove.