Is Barcelona Keeper Garcia Anxious About Registration Issues?

Madrid, Aug 14 (NationPress) FC Barcelona's goalkeeper Joan Garcia has expressed that he is unfazed by the uncertainty surrounding his registration in the squad ahead of their La Liga season opener in Mallorca this weekend. The club invested 25 million euros to acquire Garcia from Espanyol at the beginning of the summer; however, due to financial fair play regulations, he has yet to be registered with the first team for the upcoming season.

Despite the club's frantic efforts to include him in the lineup, Garcia mentioned in an interview with El Mundo Deportivo that he had anticipated this situation, as reported by Xinhua. "When I signed, I was already aware of what was ahead. I’m prepared and at ease," he stated, affirming that "everything will work out, and I trust in the club."

He noted, "From a sporting standpoint and regarding my future, I had no doubts whatsoever," despite the fierce rivalry with their local foes.

“Naturally, considering my background with Espanyol, there are some added uncertainties, but from a sporting perspective, I was confident,” he elaborated.

Garcia acknowledged the "pain and disappointment" that Espanyol supporters might feel over his transfer, clarifying, "Ultimately, it was a choice I had to make for myself, my family, and my future."

Barcelona has enlisted goalkeeper Joan Garcia from Espanyol following Marc-Andre ter Stegen's serious knee injury. The Spanish club had previously recruited Wojciech Szczesny, coaxing him out of retirement for the 2025-26 season. The Polish goalkeeper has since become the primary choice for Hansi Flick in place of ter Stegen. Garcia is now set to serve as his understudy and has the potential to become Barcelona's first-choice goalkeeper in the future.

Hailing from Sallent de Llobregat, situated in the Bages region of Catalonia, the new Barcelona goalkeeper did not initially start as a keeper. It was not long before he followed in his elder brother's footsteps and donned the gloves, marking the inception of his journey to the football elite. After departing Sallent, he transitioned to Manresa and then to Damm, until Espanyol signed him at the age of 15.

Throughout his tenure at Espanyol, he became a staple in Spain's youth national teams, climbing from U17 to U21 levels, and he boasts an Olympic gold medal from the 2024 Games held in Paris.

Garcia made his first-team debut with Espanyol at the end of 2021, but it was during the 2023/24 season that he solidified his position as the starting goalkeeper, aiding the team in their promotion back to the top tier.