Iñaki Peña will be Barcelona’s starting goalkeeper this Saturday against Rayo Vallecano. Xavi Hernández confirmed in a press conference that some Ter Stegen’s back problems will prevent the German from traveling to Madrid, so Xavi has no choice but to bring in the youth player. “Iñaki Peña will play. We have absolute confidence in him and he is one hundred percent prepared,” said the Barça coach.
Iñaki Peña is not finding it easy to make his way at Barcelona. Since he began to appear in the first team locker room at the age of 19, now at 24, He has only played 13 games in the elite. Five with Barcelona and eight with Galatasaray, a team to which he was loaned in the 2020-21 season to have the minutes he could not have in the Barça team. The experience was not positive and upon his return life continued the same for Iñaki Peña. Always on Ter Stegen’s side.
Iñaki Peña, a bitter asshole to Barça
Ernesto Valverde was the first coach who noticed him. Txingurri called him up for the first time for a Copa de Rey match against Cultural Leonesa. He did not play a single minute, but for Peña it was a huge joy that he had been looking forward to practically since he He joined the Barcelona youth team in 2012 coming from the Villarreal quarry.
Howeverto debut with the first team I would still have to wait a few years Despite his great performance in the reserve team that led him to go through all the lower categories of the Spanish soccer team. From sub 16 to sub 21. He became a regular in the first team calls, but his moment seemed like it would never come. Precisely that lack of minutes was what led him to accept the proposal to leave in the 2022 winter market for Galatasaray. He began playing the first games, but after the elimination of the Turkish team, precisely at the hands of Barcelona, in the round of 16 of the Champions League lost ownership even though it was the best of his team in that double confrontation.
Iñaki Peña will play. We have absolute confidence in him and he is one hundred percent prepared
Xavi Hernandez
It was last season when Iñaki Peña finally made his debut for Barça. He came from a preseason marked by his notorious mistake in the friendly against Manchester City, held for the benefit of those affected by ALS. Already with a professional contract with the first team and with the help of Xavi Hernández He played 90 minutes against Viktoria Plzen on the last day of the Champions League group stage. An inconsequential match because Barça could only be third in the group. Iñaki conceded two goals, although the team won 2-4. He also participated in the first two Copa del Rey qualifiers and in the League he appeared in two games in the last days of the championship (36 and 38) replacing Ter Stegen in the second half. Two testimonial participations with the sole purpose of the German goalkeeper securing the Zamora Trophyas it finally happened.
In his five games played Iñaki Peña played 341 minutes, conceding five goalsachieved three victories (Intercity, Ceuta and Viktoria Plzen) and two defeats, both in LaLiga against Valladolid and Celta de Vigo.
2023-11-24 18:50:56
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