In an extremely emotional moment during Juventus vs. Sporting CP, Wojciech Szczesny had to leave the pitch in tears after experiencing ‘pain in his chest’. Szczesny reportedly requested a substitution right before halftime, complaining of a chest pain in a concerning moment. As he left the field, his teammates instantly comforted him, and in a heartwarming gesture, the entire crowd gave him a standing ovation.
The concerning incident occurred just before halftime when the former Arsenal goalkeeper collapsed holding his chest and urgently motioned at the Juventus bench to summon help. It did not seem as though contact with another player contributed to the injury.
Sczcesny says he “feels good” following scary Juventus substitution
After Szczesny completed an electrocardiogram (ECG) on Thursday night, Juventus said that the 32-year-old is “doing well”. Szczesny departed the pitch with tears and clutching his chest during the first leg of Juventus’ Europa League quarterfinal match against Sporting Lisbon, complaining of chest pain, which scared the fans.
The Poland international was replaced by another player shortly after by Juventus manager Massimiliano Allegri in the 44th minute. Szczesny was sobbing as he walked down the tunnel at the Allianz Stadium before being replaced by Mattia Perin. Szczesny is “doing well,” according to Juventus, after an initial examination.
The ‘keeper immediately went for an electrocardiogram, a test that examines the heart’s rhythm and electrical activity, according to Sky Italy. It is assumed that the test revealed no irregularities. “After an initial check, Tek is doing well,” tweeted Juventus, and that more details about his status will be released soon.
The ex-Arsenal himself then provided an update on his health, as he told reporters:
“I was worried, I was not able to breathe but now I feel good. The tests confirmed that there’s no problem.”
Szczesny was greeted with cheers from the entire Allianz Stadium, and other supporters posted their support online. Sporting tweeted “Forca, Szczesny” right away following his substitution from Thursday night’s game. Arsenal supporters might also be praying for Szczesny, given his fond memories at the Emirates.
Before creating a reputation for himself at Brentford during the 2009–10 season, when the Bees were in League One, the Pole went through the Gunners’ Hale End academy. Szczesny was given an opportunity by then-Arsenal boss Arsene Wenger after making an impression at Brentford. He won the FA Cup twice while swiftly becoming the club’s first-choice goalkeeper.
However, David Ospina eventually replaced him during the 2014–15 season. Szczesny made 81 appearances for Roma after joining the club on loan during the summer of 2015. Due to his success at Roma, Juventus decided to buy him permanently as Gianluigi Buffon’s long-term replacement in July 2017.
Since then, Szczesny has appeared in more than 200 games for Juventus and has collected seven awards, including three Serie A championships. Six years after taking home the Golden Glove in the Premier League, he was crowned the Serie A Keeper of the Year for the 2019–20 season.