Barcelonaโ Face Goalkeeping Crisis as Joan Garciaโข Suffers Injury
Barcelona’s goalkeeping ranks have been further depleted withโ the confirmation of a โmeniscus injury to Joan Garcia, a 24-year-old summer signing.the clubโ announced Garcia will โundergo arthroscopy, sidelining him forโฃ four to six weeks. This setback โฃcompounds an existing issue, as first-choice goalkeeper Marc-Andre ter Stegenโค remains unavailable following back surgery since pre-season.
The โคinjury to Garcia throws Barcelona’s goalkeeping depth into sharp focus, leaving manager Hansi Flick with limited immediate options.Aโ year ago,the clubโ had readily available cover in Inaki pena,Ander Astralaga with reserve team experience,and the recently signed Wojciech โSzczesny. Now, Szczesny is expected to step into the starting role, โคbut the situation behind him is โคprecarious.
Currently, Pena, Astralaga, andโค Aron Yaakobishvili are allโค on loan to Elche, Granada, โขand Andorra respectively. Adding to the concern, promising youth goalkeeper Iker Rodriguez,โ 17, is recovering fromโ shoulder surgery. Diego Kochen, previously the designated third goalkeeper while also featuring for Barรงaโข Atletic, is currently with the US national team at โคthe U-20 World Cup in Chile.
This leaves 18-year-oldโค Ederโข Aller, with limited experience with Barรงa Atletic, and summerโฃ signing Emilio Bernad, 26, as the senior reserve options. Aller is poised to becomeโ the second-choice goalkeeper in the coming weeks, prompting Flick โto consider calling up another youth player to โensure two goalkeepers are available on the bench for each match.โ
The competition for that โคfinalโฃ goalkeeping spot falls to Max โbonfill (18) โคor Gerard Sala (17).