Joan Garcia: Rats, Fake Cash and the Performance of a Lifetime | OneFootball

Ever since Joan Garcia was announced as a Barça player in the summer, everyone knew that his first Derbi Barceloní would be an incredibly hostile environment for the goalkeeper. You do not directly go from Espanyol to FC Barcelona and expect fans to be forgiving. So when the highly anticipated fixture finally arrived, Joan Garcia responded with one of the greatest Barcelona goalkeeper performances in the derby’s history.

Joan Garcia: Background

Joan Garcia joined Espanyol in 2016 as a youth product. He became a starter for the first team in 2024. In the 2023–24 season, when Espanyol were shockingly playing in the second division, Joan Garcia delivered a heroic campaign with 12 clean sheets in 21 appearances, helping the club secure promotion. Following that season, he developed a cult identity among Pericos fans, who hailed him as their savior.

He continued his elite form in the top flight the following season. He recorded the highest number of saves among all goalkeepers in the league.

Those performances caught the attention of local rivals FC Barcelona. They could not believe such a Catalan talent was playing on the other side of the city. Despite knowing he was an Espanyol player, Barça paid his release clause, worth roughly $29M, to secure him as their long-term goalkeeper.

Joan Garcia: The Build Up

For more than a month before the match, Espanyol fans prepared their own welcome for Joan Garcia. According to The Athletic, some fans were even asking around food markets in Barcelona for dead rats to throw at him whenever he made a save. This reaction came from Garcia publicly kissing the Espanyol badge and reaffirming his love for the club just three days before signing his contract with FC Barcelona. He became the first player in 31 years to move directly from Espanyol to Barcelona.

In the week leading up to the derby, people in Barcelona, particularly in Cornellà where Espanyol are based, could hear ultras chanting phrases like “Queremos la cabeza de Joan,” translated as “We want Joan’s head.”

To protect Joan Garcia, police installed protective nets nearly 33 feet high behind the goals. The club had been in direct contact with law enforcement for weeks. The measure was taken to prevent projectiles from being thrown toward him.

Security outside the stadium was also significantly tightened. Fans were not allowed to enter with any object that could be thrown. Stuffed toys, lighters, bags, laptops, and motorcycle helmets were confiscated on derby day.

However, rat masks and fake cash featuring Joan Garcia’s face were permitted inside the stadium. Numerous posters depicting rats painted in Barcelona colors were also allowed. In addition, more than 200 locations across Barcelona were vandalized by Espanyol supporters. Bus stop advertisements were replaced with Espanyol flags, graffiti appeared on walls, and street signs and public property were damaged.

Joan Garcia: The Game

The first sight Espanyol fans had of Joan Garcia in Barcelona colors came during the pre-match warmup. He was greeted by a deafening wall of boos that would have broken most players. Garcia kept his head down, completed his warmup, and quietly walked back down the tunnel. The boos never stopped.

Once the match began, the hostility intensified. Every time a Barcelona defender shaped to pass the ball back to Garcia, the boos started before the ball even reached him. Every touch and every collection was met with jeers. Chants of “P*ta Barça” echoed through the stadium. Despite all of it, Garcia remained composed.

He made six crucial saves, any one of which could have changed the outcome. Espanyol peppered Barcelona with attacks for most of the match, especially before Barça found their rhythm late on. Garcia reacted sharply to deny Pere Milla from close range in a save that quickly went viral. He also stopped Robert Fernández after committing early, stretching out an arm at the last moment to poke the ball away from Fernandez’ feet. At one point, he even shoved Gerard Martín into the ball when he realized he could not reach the shot himself.

The MVP of the game, Garcia walked down the tunnel at full time. Even though he was still receiving a barrage of boos and offensive chants, he smiled. He knew he put in a performance of a lifetime that his new fans will remember him forever.

The New Savior of Barça

For years, Barcelona fans have voiced frustration with their goalkeepers. Marc-André ter Stegen, the club’s longtime starter, lost fan support long ago. Mockingly nicknamed “Ter Statue,” he has been criticized for freezing on difficult shots. He has also been criticized for struggling to command his box, poor handling on crosses, and a reported beef with Lionel Messi.

Supporters have called for a new goalkeeper for many seasons now. Especially given that ter Stegen remains the only starter still at the club from some of Barcelona’s most painful defensive collapses. Roma, Liverpool, and the 8–2 loss to Bayern Munich – Ter Stegen still remains.

With Joan Garcia’s arrival – Barca players and fans are now more confident in their defensive sectors. Born and raised in Catalonia, Joan Garcia has the potential to be one of the club’s leaders for years to come. He has certainly arrived at the big stage, and how far Barca go in the next decade or so – depends on this one man between the sticks.