Perhaps only injuries will be able to curtail Barcelona this season, given the record-breaking start they’ve made to their La Liga title defense.
Hansi Flick’s side has won back-to-back domestic titles and is targeting Champions League glory in what will be 12 years since their last continental conquest by the time the final rolls around next June.
Barça have opened 2026–27 with a 100% record through six La Liga outings, scoring a remarkable 28 goals in the process. Their rampant mood translated across to Europe, too, as they started their league phase campaign with a 5–1 beatdown of Dutch outfit Feyenoord.
They’re capable of outscoring anyone, but are vulnerable, especially once fatigue sets in, to conceding high-quality chances given the nature of their approach. A high-class and proactive goalkeeper is thus imperative to Flick’s framework, and they certainly have that in Joan García.
García, who joined from Espanyol in 2025, led La Liga last season with a 77.9 save percentage and 10.2 goals prevented, highlighting his shot-stopping prowess. He’s someone Barcelona cannot afford to be without, which is why the club started to sweat when he was withdrawn at half-time in Wednesday’s 7–2 thrashing of Racing Santander.
Why García’s Absence Is No Disaster for Barcelona
It’s been a quieter start to the season for García compared to his debut campaign, with his saves per 90 minutes dropping from 2.5 to 2.0. His withdrawal in the week didn’t facilitate a remarkable Catalan collapse, but Barça won’t want to be without their starting goalkeeper for very long.
Barcelona wrote postmatch that García was "experiencing mild discomfort in his right knee", and AS has since reported that the 25-year-old sustained a "bone edema" that’ll keep him sidelined for three weeks.
That diagnosis is positive for Barça, who should only be without their No. 1 for Saturday’s trip to fourth-place Sevilla. An extended international break is on the horizon, and Flick’s side aren’t back in action until Oct. 10, when they host Getafe in La Liga.
Moreover, club doctors are relieved that the Spaniard isn’t dealing with another injury to his left knee, which was operated on a year ago and forced him to miss nine games.
Hansi Flick’s Goalkeeper Dilemma for Sevilla Clash
García’s absence means Flick has a big decision to make between the posts on Saturday. This is arguably Barcelona’s biggest test of the season yet, given Sevilla’s bright start and what went down on their previous visit to the Pizjuán.
The German now has Croatia’s No. 1, Dominik Livaković at his disposal after the club signed him from Fenerbahçe in a $2.3 million deal this summer, but he turned to veteran Wojciech Szczęsny after García picked up his injury midweek.
The Pole made a mistake after coming on, leading to Racing’s second goal, but Barça’s manager looks set to favor his experience over Livaković, who is still “adapting”.
“I think that, right now, the situation with Tek [Szczęsny] is that he knows what our philosophy is," Flick said, "and Dominik [Livaković] has just played; he’s adapting to our approach. And that’s the issue.
“He can play; he’s ready to play and that’s what we have to consider. But we always look out for what’s best for the team, not for one player.”
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