"I Studied His Last 20 Shots": Szczesny reveals secret behind saving Mbappe’s penalty in El Clasico

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·31 octobre 2025

"I Studied His Last 20 Shots": Szczesny reveals secret behind saving Mbappe’s penalty in El Clasico

Barcelona goalkeeper explains how deep preparation shaped his standout display against Real Madrid

"I Studied His Last 20 Shots": Szczesny reveals secret behind saving Mbappe’s penalty in El Clasico

Vidéos OneFootball

Barcelona goalkeeper Wojciech Szczesny revealed the detailed preparation that helped him deny Kylian Mbappe’s penalty in the recent El Clasico.

Despite Barca’s 2-1 defeat at the Santiago Bernabeu, Szczesny emerged as one of the game’s best performers producing 9 saves.

Studying every detail

"Before every game, I watch the last 20 penalties taken by the top 2 or 3 players of the opponent. You can often see .. how they approach the ball or whether they change direction based on the score or pressure".

Regarding the penalty from Mbappe Szczesny said he anticipated the Frenchman’s choice:

"He scored penalty against me last season. I remembered his body language same confidence, same setup so I went for that side. After that you just pray you get hand to it"..

Szczesny also credited meditation & breathing exercises for maintaining composure in high pressure moments: