Wojciech Szczesny refuses to quit smoking saying ‘it’s nobody else’s business’ as the former Arsenal shot-stopper reverses retirement to sign for Barcelona

Former Arsenal goalkeeper Wojciech Szczesny has struck a defiant tone about his smoking habit, saying ‘it’s nobody else’s business’ but his own.

The Polish keeper has recently made a shock return to football having signed for Barcelona as a free agent following an injury to long-term No1, Marc-Andre ter Stegen,

The 34-year-old had announced his retirement from football at the end of last season, having spent seven years at Serie A giants, Juventus.

Now, Szczesny’s private life has been brought into renewed focus after he was spotted smoking – something he has unapologetically told critics to mind their own.

Responding to criticism in an interview with Mundo Deportivo, Szczesny said: ‘There are things that I don’t change in my personal life and it’s nobody’s business if I smoke. 

The 34-year-old made a shock return to football after signing for Barcelona 

‘I believe that it doesn’t affect what I do on the pitch, I work twice as hard.’

‘I don’t do it in front of kids because I don’t want to have a bad influence on them. Sometimes somebody will take a photo from the trees where I have a cigarette, that’s on them, not on me.

‘If somebody thinks that I will change the way I am in my personal life they can think again because I am who I am. I’ve been this way my whole life.’  

However, some pundits in Spain are not happy with the former Arsenal keeper’s comments, saying his habits do not align with the high professional standards expected from players in the country.

Szczesny retired from football last summer after spending seven seasons at Juventus

Lluis Carrasco, a prominent TV personality in Spain, said his behaviour was ‘unacceptable’.

Szczesny spent seven seasons in Turin, making 252 appearances for the Italian side, after spending six seasons at the Emirates with Arsenal, having featured 181 times for the Gunners.