Following a successful season in which Barcelona clinched La Liga, the Copa del Rey, and the Spanish Super Cup, the club is setting its sights on a fresh start. With ambitions to rebuild and regain prominence in Europe, Barcelona is planning significant changes both on the field and financially—including the potential sale of key players.
According to El Nacional, the 2023/24 season concluded with a 3-0 victory over Athletic Bilbao at San Mamés. While the win didn’t impact the standings, it served as a quiet send-off for goalkeeper Iñaki Peña. He was given one last start before learning that new head coach Hansi Flick had excluded him from future plans.
Peña began the season as Barcelona’s main keeper in the absence of Marc-André ter Stegen due to injury and delivered commendable performances in both domestic and European matches. However, with the arrival of Wojciech Szczęsny and speculation around Espanyol’s Juan García joining, Peña has been sidelined as Flick seeks more intense competition in the goalkeeper position.
Although Peña’s contract runs through 2026, Barcelona is reportedly open to letting him leave. Multiple clubs in Spain and internationally are said to be interested in the La Masia-trained player, who still shows potential.
The move has reportedly led to friction between Peña and Flick, with the goalkeeper feeling underappreciated. Nevertheless, the club insists the decision was made solely for footballing reasons.
Peña’s departure—marked by no formal announcements or tributes—brings a quiet end to a career that began in Barça’s youth academy and grew into a dream fulfilled. Despite the understated farewell, he departs with pride, titles, and the respect of his teammates, though he feels his journey could have been more significant.
With Hansi Flick at the helm, reshaping the goalkeeping roster is one of Barcelona’s top priorities for the new season.
