Inaki Pena talks Szczesny, Ter Stegen, Joan Garcia, Lamine, Flick, Barcelona future | OneFootball

Barcelona goalkeeper Inaki Pena, currently on loan at Elche, has opened up about his journey, ambitions, and strong emotional connection to his boyhood club in an exclusive interview with SPORT. 

The 26-year-old remains deeply tied to Barcelona, expressing his desire to one day return and fight for his place at the club he has represented since his La Masia days.

Pena began by addressing his temporary move away from the Catalan giants. After Barcelona brought in Joan Garcia, the goalkeeping department became overcrowded, forcing him to seek more consistent playing time. 

However, he insisted that his loan move was part of a broader plan agreed upon with the club. 

When asked if he felt used by Barça while waiting for them to register Garcia or Szczesny, Pena calmly explained,

“No, I knew I had a contract, and then I renewed it. The club already had the intention of renewing my contract to let me go out on loan. 

“This was their idea from the beginning because they didn’t want to lose me, and they also wanted to keep me on their books. 

“From there, on a personal level, the sooner it’s done, the better, but in the end, they convey that to you, and you obviously have a contract and have to accept that situation. 

“There’s nothing else you can do, and it hasn’t hurt me in any way afterwards.”

Favours for Szczesny

Wojciech Szczesny was favoured ahead of Inaki Pena last season. (Photo by Judit Cartiel/Getty Images)

Pena was asked if he feels Hansi Flick was more inclined towards Wojciech Szczesny than him last season, the goalkeeper gave a very practical answer.

“Well, no. The coach always tries to defend whoever is playing at the time. It’s very difficult to appear before the press every two or three days.

“When someone plays, you have to make them feel important because they are in the position to play. I never felt underappreciated, either personally or in terms of my football skills.

“Not by the coach, not by my teammates, and not by the club, to be honest,” he explained.

Relationship with Ter Stegen and Joan Garcia

Pena also praised his relationship with Marc-Andre ter Stegen, highlighting the German’s mentorship and professionalism over the years. He said,

“Good, I’ve always said that I’ve had a great relationship with him. 

“Even though he’s one of the top five goalkeepers in the world, he has always treated me well and let me know my strengths and weaknesses so that I can improve. 

“I’ve never had a problem with him. When he got injured two years ago, he told me about the opportunity I had ahead of me.”

On his brief interaction with Joan Garcia, Pena revealed that the two handled the transition professionally despite the uncertainty surrounding their futures.

“To be honest, I didn’t know him personally, only from watching him play. We were in contact for a month and a half and, on a personal level, we were a bit at the mercy of him signing up and me being able to leave. 

“We were totally professional and kept each other informed of all the details. With him, honestly, no problem,” said the current Elche keeper.

Facing Barcelona

Inaki Pena will face Barcelona this weekend. (Picture credit: Elche official website)

Looking ahead to facing his parent club, Pena admitted that the upcoming match against Barcelona holds special meaning for him.

“Yes, really nice, actually. 

“It’s strange to face them when you’ve been on their side for many years, but that will only be a little bit at the beginning because during the game you try to do your best and that’s it.”

When asked about Barça’s form compared to last season, Pena offered a realistic perspective.

“At the end of the day, no team is at 100% throughout the entire season. Last season, we had a tough last month because we didn’t earn any points. 

“Then, we were very tired, with many games. During these ups and downs, you try to be as stable as possible. 

“We know that Barça is still at the top and competitive. We will be playing against one of the best clubs, and we are approaching the game with that motivation.”

On Lamine Yamal

Pena also spoke warmly about Lamine Yamal, the teenage sensation making waves at Barcelona. “When he arrived, you knew he was different. 

“He’s focused when he goes out to train, he’s the most competitive, the one who wants to win the most, even in training.”

Finally, when asked if he wants to return to Barcelona next season, Pena made his feelings abundantly clear.

“Every player wants to be where they’ve been happy, where they’ve been all their life. 

“And even more so, having been at La Masia for so many years, obviously yes,” he concluded.