Valencia legend weighs in on Barcelona’s goalkeeping situation – ‘Sparks will fly’ | OneFootball

Legendary Spanish goalkeeper Santiago Canizares, best known for his time at Valencia, has offered a clear and candid view on the goalkeeping situation now that Barcelona are close to securing Joan Garcia.

The veteran shot-stopper believes the club is heading for a real battle between experience and emerging talent.

Marc-Andre ter Stegen, who recently returned from a long-term knee injury that sidelined him for over 200 days, is no longer guaranteed a starting spot.

While Canizares acknowledged the significance of the German’s injury, he pointed out that recovery gets harder with age.

“The injury creates doubts, that’s obvious. It’s a serious issue that kept him out for months. At his age, the body doesn’t bounce back like it used to,” he said.

Sparks set to fly in Barcelona’s goal

Marc-Andre Ter Stegen’s future is under serious threat. (Photo by Eric Alonso/Getty Images)

Barcelona have all but secured Garcia and are also working on renewing Wojciech Szczesny’s contract. With these moves, it is clear that they have a specific plan in place, which might not include Ter Stegen.

“It’s not that there’s going to be mourning, it’s that sparks are going to fly. This guy can’t stand on the bench,” warned Canizares.

He also made it clear that while Ter Stegen has the edge in terms of Champions League-level experience, the young Spaniard is no ordinary backup.

“Ter Stegen still has a long way to go, and Joan has been the best goalkeeper of the year. He’s only had one year in the top flight, and he’s already shown his personality and quality. But Ter Stegen is big words, there is no doubt about that,” said Canizares.

Despite respecting Ter Stegen’s track record, Canizares didn’t hide his admiration for Garcia, saying boldly:

“I’m Joan’s to death.” With this kind of support and form, Barcelona may soon have a new face between the posts, and it won’t be an easy decision for the club.

Source: SPORT