'It's nobody's business' - Wojciech Szczesny defends his smoking habit and insists he won't quit after joining Barcelona

Szczesny came out of retirement to join Barcelona at the start of October, and has since been quizzed on whether he plans to stub out his smoking habit, having been spotted puffing away after his retirement in the summer.

The ex-Arsenal goalkeeper, who was once caught smoking in the showers with the north London club, has struck a defiant tone, however, and maintains that he will not change who he is for anyone, and that includes his smoking habit.

Speaking to Mundo Deportivo, he said: "There are things that I don't change in my personal life and it's nobody's business if I smoke. 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."

Szczesny is building his fitness during the international break. Barcelona are next in action against Sevilla on October 20.