Barcelona goalkeeper Inaki Pena finds himself at a career crossroads following a tense conversation with manager Hansi Flick, as reported by Sport. The 25-year-old shot-stopper, who stepped in for the injured Marc-Andre ter Stegen and made 15 La Liga appearances this season, has been demoted to the bench after allegedly arriving late to a team meeting.
The situation has taken an unexpected turn with veteran goalkeeper Wojciech Szczesny, who came out of retirement to serve as a backup option, now claiming the starting position. Pena's frustration reached a boiling point during a private meeting with Flick, where the manager reportedly informed him that regaining his position would be unlikely unless Szczesny suffers an injury.
The meeting's outcome has left Pena contemplating his future at the Catalan club, despite having a contract that runs until 2026. The goalkeeper's stats for the current season show six clean sheets in 22 total appearances, building upon his career at Barcelona that began with his debut in 2022, accumulating 44 appearances overall.
As Barcelona prepares to face Sevilla in their upcoming La Liga fixture on Sunday, all signs point to Szczesny maintaining his position between the posts, with Pena relegated to backup duties. This development marks a significant shift in the goalkeeper hierarchy at the club and could potentially lead to further changes in the coming transfer windows.
