Football
Ex-Arsenal keeper Wojciech Szczesny admits he’s ‘lost the battle’ with smoking
Barcelona goalkeeper Wojciech Szczesny has opened up about the dangers of smoking, admitting he has struggled to overcome what he calls a “very negative” habit.
Szczesny, who came out of retirement to join Barcelona last October after Marc-Andre ter Stegen’s season-ending injury, has quickly become a fan favorite.
Supporters have affectionately nicknamed him ‘Szczesny fumador’, which translates to ‘smoker Szczesny’. Despite the humor behind the nickname, Szczesny recently issued a serious warning to young people about the risks of smoking.
In an interview with ESPN, the 35-year-old emphasized the importance of setting a positive example. “There are some parts of the game where I believe I can be a perfect example for young people or, in fact, for my teammates,” Szczesny explained. “And there are some things in my career that you better not follow.
In a few aspects, I fail at being an example, but I try to be the best version of myself and give the correct example to my teammates and young kids who watch us. But mentioning the subject of smoking, please do not follow me and don’t do it.”

Szczesny was candid about his long battle with smoking. “I’ve lost the fight. When I was very young, I created a habit that is very negative for me, and I know it is. I just lose against it. So for anybody watching: don’t do what I did,” he urged.
Throughout his career, Szczesny’s smoking habit has been well-known. One of the most notable incidents occurred in 2015 when he was fined and dropped by then-Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger after being caught smoking in the dressing room following a 2-0 defeat to Southampton. Reflecting on the event during an appearance on the Arsenal Nation podcast in 2020, Szczesny shared more details about what happened.
“Back at that time I was smoking regularly and the boss knew it very well. He just didn’t want anybody smoking in the dressing rooms and I knew that too,” Szczesny recalled. “Because of the emotion of the game, I had a cigarette after the game when the team was still in. I went to the corner of the showers, so it was at the other end of the dressing room where nobody could see me, and I lit one up.
Somebody saw me, it wasn’t even the boss himself, and just reported it back to the boss. I saw him a couple of days later, he asked me if that was true and I said, ‘Yes’. He fined me and that was the end of it.”
Szczesny admitted there were no major confrontations with Wenger afterward. “He then said, ‘Look, you’re going to be out of the team for a little bit’ but there were no big bust-ups. I was very professional about it,” he explained.
Despite expecting to return to the starting lineup a few weeks later, he found himself sidelined as David Ospina, who replaced him, performed exceptionally well.
As a result, Szczesny had to consider going out on loan to prove himself again, something he described as a difficult but sometimes necessary step in a footballer’s career.
Football
‘We want him’ – Club chief confirms he wants to sign Man Utd outcast in permanent transfer
Andre Onana could remain in Turkey beyond his loan spell, with Trabzonspor keen to secure him on a permanent deal.
The 30-year-old moved to Trabzonspor after falling out of favour at Manchester United, who brought in Senne Lammens last summer. Since then, Lammens has established himself as the club’s first-choice keeper, paving the way for Onana’s temporary switch.
In Turkey, however, Onana has rediscovered his form and quickly become a key figure. He recently grabbed attention with a standout performance in the Turkish Cup, saving three consecutive penalties to help his side overcome Samsunspor and reach the semi-finals.
The moment sparked widespread reactions online, especially from United supporters recalling their earlier penalty shootout defeat to Grimsby Town, where Onana managed just one save.
Trabzonspor president Ertugrul Dogan has openly expressed the club’s desire to keep the goalkeeper. He indicated that while Onana has his own career plans, the club would be eager to make the move permanent if the circumstances align, leaving the final decision in the player’s hands.
Back in England, United are expected to consider selling Onana, particularly with Lammens now firmly established as their number one. The club will likely aim to recover a significant portion of the £47.5 million they paid to sign him from Inter Milan in 2023, with two years still remaining on his contract.
Beyond his cup heroics, Onana has been a consistent presence in the league, starting every match for Trabzonspor and playing a vital role in their push for the title. His performances have earned strong praise in Turkey, with the club currently sitting third in the table, just six points behind leaders Galatasaray.
Football
Man City place Arsenal ‘bottles’ for sale outside Etihad Stadium before 2025/26 Premier League decider
Manchester City appear to have kicked off the psychological battle ahead of their Premier League showdown with Arsenal.
In the build-up to the match, bottles branded with the Arsenal logo were reportedly being sold outside the stadium, priced cheaply and seemingly intended as a tongue-in-cheek way for home fans to mock the visiting supporters.
The stunt draws inspiration from a recent viral moment at Stamford Bridge, where a City fan was seen jokingly “drinking Arsenal tears” during their emphatic 3-0 win over Chelsea—a clip that quickly spread across social media.
With tensions already high given the importance of the fixture, the gesture adds another layer to the rivalry between the two sides. Arsenal, meanwhile, will be focused on responding where it matters most—on the pitch—as they aim to silence critics and deliver a strong result in what could be a defining game in the title race.
Football
Bruno Fernandes responds to Manchester United star’s dig at Chelsea flop Alejandro Garnacho
Alejandro Garnacho faced criticism from his former Manchester United teammates following Chelsea’s latest Premier League setback.
A first-half goal from Matheus Cunha secured a narrow but important win for United, strengthening the position of Michael Carrick’s side in the race for Champions League qualification. Chelsea, meanwhile, continue to struggle, with the defeat marking their fourth consecutive league loss without finding the net.
Pressure is mounting on head coach Liam Rosenior, who only took charge a few months ago after replacing Enzo Maresca. While the club has not publicly wavered in its support, questions are beginning to emerge over several players, including Garnacho, whose performances have failed to meet expectations since his £40 million move from Old Trafford.
Reports suggest Chelsea could be open to offers for the 21-year-old after a difficult start to life at Stamford Bridge. He had an early opportunity to impress against his former side after coming on for the injured Estevao, but once again struggled to make an impact, finding it hard to break through a United defence that was missing several first-choice centre-backs.

Garnacho also received a hostile reception from United supporters during the match, and the reaction appeared to carry over beyond the pitch. After the game, Luke Shaw shared an image on social media showing himself standing over Garnacho following a challenge. Bruno Fernandes responded with a playful but pointed comment, while former teammate Alex Telles also joined in with reactions.
Chelsea’s broader struggles are becoming increasingly concerning. They now sit four points behind Liverpool in the race for fifth place, despite having played an extra game. The current run—four straight league defeats without scoring—is their worst in nearly three decades, with an even longer drought not seen since 1912.

Across all competitions, the form is equally worrying, with six losses in their last seven matches and 16 goals conceded during that stretch. A significant portion of their recent goals have come in a single outing against Port Vale, highlighting their lack of consistency in front of goal.
After the match, Rosenior admitted uncertainty about what failing to qualify for the Champions League could mean for his future. He acknowledged the result was difficult to take, especially given that Chelsea created numerous chances but failed to convert them. He pointed out that United capitalised on a limited opportunity, while his side were unable to make their attacking pressure count.
Despite the frustration, Rosenior emphasized the need for continued effort and improvement, insisting that the team must find a way to turn their form around before the situation worsens further.
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