In the final round of the Champions League group stage, Barcelona drew with Italian side Atalanta, which contributed to their failure to snatch the top spot in their group from Liverpool.
Despite the team’s strong performances in some matches, the draw in this game dashed their hopes of finishing at the top of the European table, and they ended up in second place with just 19 points.
According to information from the Spanish newspaper “El Nacional”, Iñaki Peña’s situation at Barcelona has changed significantly in a matter of weeks.
The goalkeeper, who became a starter following Marc-André ter Stegen’s injury, delivered impressive performances in the matches he played, earning the trust of the fans and proving that he could be a reliable goalkeeper for the team. However, his situation took an unexpected turn with the arrival of Wojciech Szczęsny, who ended up replacing him in the starting lineup.
Hansi Flick’s decision to rely on the Polish goalkeeper in recent matches has angered Iñaki Peña, who believes his performances were strong enough to keep his place as the starting goalkeeper. The young goalkeeper, who had been waiting for years for a chance to play with the first team, now feels that his chances of shining are much diminished.
Peña has already made it clear that if the situation continues as it is, he will seriously consider leaving Barcelona in the next summer transfer window. Iñaki Peña’s reasoning is simple: if he cannot get a starting opportunity even when Ter Stegen is injured, he is unlikely to have a real chance to compete for the position in the future.
The newspaper also reported that the Spanish goalkeeper caused a stir in the dressing room after the Atalanta match in the Champions League, expressing his great frustration with German coach Hansi Flick’s decision to marginalize him in favor of the goalkeeper returning from retirement.
So far, Peña is still training professionally with the team, but his discomfort is evident. Barcelona could be on the verge of losing a talented goalkeeper if the situation is not managed well.
The outcome will become clearer next summer when Iñaki Peña decides whether he will remain at Camp Nou or if it’s time to seek a new challenge.