Joan Garcia, at last an undisputed Barcelona goalkeeper | OneFootball

Joan Garcia has swiftly established himself as Barcelona’s undisputed goalkeeper, his rise framed by a brief injury scare in the 7-2 rout of Newcastle. He has given Hansi Flick’s side a dependable last line behind their aggressive attack.

He left the Spotify Camp Nou in the 83rd minute of that Champions League last-16 second leg. The club said in a statement on Thursday that he is available to face Rayo Vallecano on Sunday at 14:00. Wojciech Szczesny was warmly received, with “Szczesny fumador” ringing out on his introduction, yet Garcia’s status did not shift.

Signed in summer 2025 from fierce rivals Espanyol after a standout year, Barcelona triggered his 25 million euro clause despite furious backlash. There were threatening tags and even political interventions criticising his choice, but he crossed the city regardless.

Since then he has won broad approval. In January, after a 2-0 win over Espanyol, Flick called him one of the best goalkeepers in the world and underlined how vital an elite keeper is, noting Real Madrid have one. Marc-André ter Stegen’s late years brought difficulties, with a 2022-2023 double under Xavi Hernandez the lone bright spell.

Flick and Deco made the tough call last summer to move on from the German, reasoning that trophies demand consistency and presence on big nights. Errors have been rare, though one came against Atlético de Madrid in the Copa del Rey semi-final first leg, and his numbers are strong, 17 conceded in 22 Liga matches and close to three saves per game. Even Luis de la Fuente shifted approach on Friday, naming four goalkeepers for Spain to include him.

Source: L'Équipe