Wojciech Szczesny’s decision to delay taking the COVID vaccine until the last minute has consequences for both himself and Juventus.
The 31-year-old Polish goalkeeper will start tomorrow’s Supercoppa Italiana final against Inter on the bench, with coach Massimiliano Allegri apparently sending a message to the player. Mattia Perin will start in his place instead.
Allegri discussed the situation in a press conference earlier today, saying: “Tomorrow Perin will play in goal. Tek will arrive tomorrow at the last moment, there is a defined protocol. All the players are vaccinated, he is the last one to be vaccinated.
“Until the day after tomorrow he doesn’t have a green pass, he can arrive at the last moment and he’ll go to the bench. Perin is calm and serene, I am happy that he is playing.”
Szczesny is allowed to take part in the match as he is in possession of a basic green pass following a negative COVID test, but because he only took the first vaccine jab recently, he is not yet in possession the provisional green pass. This means that he cannot take part in all activities leading up to the match with the squad, and he cannot travel or stay with his teammates.
The Polish goalkeeper is expected to receive his second dose of the COVID vaccine in the next couple of weeks and then he’ll be given the full green pass. Szczesny waited until the vaccine was made mandatory for players before taking the jab, and he’s expected to receive the provisional green pass on Thursday, allowing things to return to normal for the next match against Udinese.
This evening the former Arsenal goalkeeper will arrive at the San Siro on his own before staying separately, but from tomorrow morning he’ll be able to join them in the dressing room, take part in the warm-up and possibly take part in the game.
It was Allegri’s decision to start Szczesny from the bench and the Italian coach may be sending a message to the Polish goalkeeper, who was the last of the Juventus players to get vaccinated.