Who will be keeping goal for the rest of Barca’s Champions League campaign?
Hansi Flick, head coach of Barcelona, has made a decision on his goalkeeper for the rest of the Champion's League fixtures. This was announced after speculation by the public following an eventful season for both Wojciech Szczesny and Iñaki Peña, as well as Marc-Andre ter Stegen.
In September 2024, Marc-Andre ter Stegen was sidelined after suffering a ruptured knee tendon. This took the 33-year-old out for over seven months – almost the whole season - while the team then had to rely on second-choice goalkeeper Iñaki Peña, in the crunch of ter Steven's sudden absence. Ter Stegen was only able to return fully to training in March of this year and was benched for Saturday's Copa del Rey final.
Having to find a quick and immediate solution, Barca signed Polish 35-year old Wojciech Szczęsny, taking him out of retirement in October of 2024. Peña wasn't given the chance to impress further, but the ex-Juventus and Arsenal player did not disappoint. Szczęsny has simultaneously exuded calmness and first-rate ability through his experience. In fact, his performance has been pretty outstanding, with the Catalan side losing only a single game this whole calendar year since Szczęsny took over the starting role.
By the time ter Stegen was back in business after a seven month absence and as the season enters its last stretch in its final month, German manager Hansi Flick has decided he will stick by Szczesny for Barcelona's fixture against Inter Milan, despite contradictory reports floating round as a result of Flick's unclear indications to the press earlier this month.
Marc-Andre ter Stegen's solid performance in Saturday's 2-1 win at relegated Real Valladolid extended Barcelona's lead at the top of LaLiga as he returned to the line up after the lengthy absence. Second-half strikes from Raphinha and Fermin Lopez overturned the hosts' advantage, with Ter Stegen in fine form after a seven-month absence.
