Roma GK Wojciech Szczesny Dropped for Atalanta Loss After Reportedly Smoking

It hasn't been the greatest week for Serie A side Roma.

Thrashed 6-1 by Barcelona last week, Rudi Garcia's side are three points off the domestic pace in fourth place following Sunday's 2-0 home loss to Atalanta.

One player who sat out that loss at the Stadio Olimpico was goalkeeper Wojciech Szczesny, who reportedly missed the match after being spotted smoking with a team-mate, per La Gazzetta dello Sport (h/t La Gazzetta World).

But his boss has downplayed any suggestion of a rift between the two, stating that Szczesny and Morgan De Sanctis are "on the same level." 

ANDREAS SOLARO/Getty Images

“There is no number one starter,” Garcia said. “Szczesny hasn’t done anything wrong and he isn’t responsible for anything. We all need to be better, including the goalkeepers. Roma’s problem isn’t in goal.”

It's not the first time the on-loan Arsenal stopper has been caught with a cigarette in hand—he was fined and dropped by Arsene Wenger after lighting up in the showers following a defeat at Southampton, and he was also photographed smoking while on international duty with Poland, per the Mirror.

He left Arsenal on a season-long loan in the summer as the Gunners secured the signature of Petr Cech.

[Gazzetta World]