Wojciech Szczesny's former mentor has backed the young goalkeeper to shine on the big stage as Arsenal take onBarcelona in their Champions League last 16 clash at the Nou Camp.
Krzysztof Dowhan, coach of Polish side Legia Warsaw, has brought through a number of young goalkeepers in his time in football and he believes Szczesny’s confidence stands him out from the rest.
Arsenal will be looking to defend a 2-1 advantage against free-scoring Barcelona, but Dowhan has backed his former player to handle the pressure against the likes of Lionel Messi, Pedro and David Villa.
“It is like a dream come true for a young keeper like Wojciech,” he was quoted as saying by The Telegraph.
“In the first game he showed what he is made of and that he can handle the pressure.
“I expect it to be no different at the Nou Camp although it looks like this test could be even harder.”
Dowhan, who has coached goalkeepers such as Jan Mucha and Artur Boruc during his career, remembers meeting Szczesny when the Pole was 10 years old.
“He was a 10-year-old boy and his father, whom I was coaching at the time, brought him for me to see if he had a chance to become a goalkeeper," he said.
“I could already see that the lad had a great potential and a natural talent for quick learning.
“He only needs to repeat a given exercise a few times to master it. His self-confidence is also a key attribute. This is something you cannot learn.
“My guess is that he inherited this one from his father. He has always been a very charismatic person.”
The youngster has made 16 appearances for Arsenal, keeping nine clean sheets in the process.
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