Following Marc-André ter Stegen’s injury, Barcelona encountered a goalkeeper dilemma and began searching for a replacement. Despite exploring the free agent market and even approaching Wojciech Szczęsny about a possible return, head coach Hansi Flick confirmed that Iñaki Peña will remain the club’s first-choice goalkeeper.
During a pre-match press conference ahead of Barcelona’s game against Sevilla on October 20, Flick was asked about the goalkeeping situation. The coach made it clear that Peña will continue as the starting goalkeeper, with no plans for rotation. He also revealed that Peña is set to start in the upcoming UEFA Champions League match against Bayern Munich next week.
“There’s no reason for any changes. Iñaki Peña will start. I can also confirm that he’ll be starting against Bayern Munich next week. I’m happy with Szczęsny, but there’s no need to make changes right now,” Flick stated, as quoted by Fabrizio Romano.
Since Ter Stegen’s injury, Peña has played in four full matches, conceding five goals, with four of those coming in a match against Villarreal. Last season, he also stepped in for Ter Stegen, playing 17 matches between November 2023 and February 2024.
