Barcelona's Goalkeeper Dilemma: Joan Garcia's Injury Update

Barcelona are breathing a little easier over Joan Garcia’s knee – but Hansi Flick’s goalkeeper call for the weekend is anything but simple.

The young keeper underwent tests on Thursday morning after feeling pain in his right knee during Wednesday’s win over Racing Santander. He slipped on the slick surface in heavy rain while chasing down a ball behind his goal, an innocuous-looking moment that quickly turned into a major concern.

Garcia managed to see out the first half, but the awkward movement was enough for Barcelona’s staff to pull him at the break as a precaution. Wojciech Szczesny stepped in for the second half and calmly saw the game out.

The first medical verdict brought a wave of relief. Scans at the training ground ruled out a serious problem, and crucially, the discomfort is in Garcia’s right knee – not the left leg that required surgery last season. Inside the club, that detail matters.

Barcelona later made the situation official.

“First-team player Joan Garcia is experiencing mild discomfort in his right knee. His availability will depend on the evolution of the injury,” read the statement.

That evolution now collides with the calendar. Sevilla away at the Ramon Sanchez Pizjuan looms on Saturday, and there are barely 48 hours between the tests and kick-off.

Flick’s dilemma in goal

Flick is walking a tightrope. The German has built a reputation for refusing to gamble with players’ fitness, especially on the eve of international breaks. Throwing Garcia back in at less than 100% would go against his instincts.

So the choice is clear, but not straightforward: stick with Szczesny after his solid mid-game introduction against Racing, or hand a first official start to summer signing Dominik Livakovic.

Croatia’s No. 1 is still waiting to pull on the Barcelona shirt in a competitive match. Every training session, every warm-up, he has been the man in the wings. A late twist in Garcia’s fitness could finally open the door.

Barcelona will run one last fitness test in their final training session before travelling to Andalusia. If Garcia feels any reaction, the club are ready to hold him back and give him the full three weeks of the upcoming international break to recover properly.

Right now, Szczesny is the frontrunner to start in Seville, rewarded for his calm handling of an unexpected call-up in midweek. Livakovic, though, remains the intriguing alternative.

Flick will not drag out the suspense much longer. His decision on the man between the posts will be laid bare in Friday’s pre-match press conference – and could shape more than just one game.