Barcelona loanee wary of La Masia gem’s threat ahead of La Liga faceoff – ‘Almost unstoppable’ | OneFootball

Inaki Pena, on loan at Elche from FC Barcelona, will be in for a special game this weekend as he faces off against his parent club in La Liga.

The La Masia graduate has become the permanent starter in goal for Eder Sarabia’s side, who are not going through the best phase at the moment.

Barça did not include a ‘fear clause’ in the deal with Elche, meaning he is eligible to play against them if head coach Sarabia decides to select him.

Speaking to the media ahead of the game, Pena remarked that he was approaching the match “with great excitement”, while expressing gratitude to Barcelona for allowing him to participate.

“It’s always special to return to a place where you’ve spent so much time and been so happy,” said Pena.

Furthermore, the goalkeeper said he holds no “grudge against Barça” and that he is still under contract with them, but “I’m committed to Elche.”

Among his opponents will be Lamine Yamal, and Pena, having seen the Barcelona wonderkid from close quarters, was wary of the threat he could pose to Elche.

Pena wary of Lamine Yamal’s prowess. (Photo by David Ramos/Getty Images)

“If Lamine is at 100%, we know he’s almost unstoppable. That should motivate us,” remarked Pena.

Sunday’s game will be one of the most demanding of the season for Elche, and it was not lost on Pena, as he admitted:

“Playing at Montjuic is always difficult. We are facing one of the best teams in the world.”

Concluding, Pena acknowledged that the match will be special for him, given his fond memories of his time at Barcelona, where he rose through the academy ranks.

However, he stated that he does not approach it any differently, explaining that he sees it “as just another game.”

Source: AS