The coach trusts backup keeper Iñaki Peña and isn’t on a rush to make any other decisions
The likely season-ending knee surgery to starting goalkeeper and captain Marc-André ter Stegen has been a giant blow to Barcelona in what has already been a brutal start to the season when it comes to injuries, and there’s no doubt that replacing the German will be a big challenge to Hansi Flick and his staff.
There have been several goalkeepers already linked with the Blaugrana less than one day after Ter Stegen’s surgery, and there seems to be an expectation that the Catalans will go to the market in some fashion, whether to sign a free agent or a player from another club in January, to have a new starting keeper until the end of the season.
But according to Flick, the club is in no rush. The coach was asked about the goalkeeping situation in a press conference on Tuesday and showed complete confidence in reserve shot-stopper Iñaki Peña, and said Barça will not make any moves until they are absolutely sure they need another keeper and a good option is available on the market.
Hansi also says a big voice on the matter will be goalkeeping coach José Ramon De La Fuente, one of the most experienced members of Flick’s coaching staff who has worked with Ter Stegen and other Barça keepers for years.
“First of all, Iñaki is doing very well, he is very professional. It is always difficult for a second goalkeeper, but he is ready to play. We trust him, but we have to talk about it. We will look at the options we have. We are under no pressure at the moment, we will speak to De la Fuente, who has been coaching world-class goalkeepers for many years. He will be the first person I will speak to. We will see.”
Source: Mundo Deportivo
The approach of giving Peña a chance first is the right one, even though that experiment did not go well at all last season under Xavi Hernández. But Flick will have different instructions for Iñaki and employs a different defensive system than the previous coach, so giving Peña an extended run as a shot-stopper and ball-playing keeper is a fair way to evaluate whether or not he can be the number one until the end of the season.
If not, Barça will look elsewhere, and there’s no doubt a number of goalkeepers will jump at the chance to be the number one for the biggest club on Earth. That chance doesn’t come around very often, and Barça can take their time between now and January — if they choose to sign someone then — to make the best choice.
Source - www.barcablaugranes.com