Barcelona is experiencing a tense situation between the posts. The goal, which for years had a permanent owner in Marc-André ter Stegen, has become a real puzzle. Hansi Flick's arrival has brought new approaches and important decisions.
Looking to rejuvenate and renew the project, the club has signed Joan García, a young goalkeeper from Espanyol. This has created an excess of names in a position as specific as it is critical.
Iñaki Peña, almost out… and rumors with Ter Stegen
The situation has left Iñaki Peña practically out of the team, as he hasn't managed to establish himself as a reliable backup. Everything suggests that he will leave in this very transfer window. His destination is still uncertain, but his cycle at Barça seems to be over.
Meanwhile, rumors have also started about a possible departure of Ter Stegen. Although he remains a key figure on and off the field, his continuity isn't 100% guaranteed.
The club's interest in Szczęsny, the Polish goalkeeper from Juventus, has set off all the alarms. Keeping three top-level goalkeepers is unfeasible. Someone will have to leave.
The goalkeeper who's already leaving
While the spotlight is on Peña and Ter Stegen, the first to pack his bags will be someone else: Ander Astralaga. Barça B's goalkeeper has decided to close his chapter at the club in search of playing time and prominence.
Astralaga, a native of Berango, was a regular in the first team's drafts at the start of last season. He even did the preseason with the senior squad.
However, since January his role was limited to the reserve team, with no real opportunities under Flick. Seeing that the door is closed above, he has chosen to leave.
His destination will be Granada CF, where he will try to earn a spot as a starter. The Andalusian club, which has just been relegated to Segunda División, offers him a competitive environment and an ambitious project to return to the elite. Astralaga will have to fight, but at least he will have that opportunity that he no longer had in Barcelona.
A total restructuring
Astralaga's departure is just the first move in a deep restructuring of Barça's goalkeeping. The sporting management is working to adjust an overcrowded position with high salaries. Joan García is the only one who seems to have a guaranteed future; the rest are hanging in the air.
In the coming weeks, there will be key decisions. Everything points to multiple departures. Although Astralaga wasn't the most high-profile name, his exit marks the beginning of a new era.
Barça's goal will have a new face. This summer will be busier than many had desired.