An FC Barcelona first-team star is considering leaving the club after a “tense” conversation with head coach Hansi Flick according to SPORT, which cited anonymous sources, Report informs via Forbes.
Inaki Pena became Flick’s undisputed goalkeeper when Marc-Andre ter Stegen suffered a season-ending injury in September – even though the Catalans had pulled Wojciech Szczesny out of retirement and signed him on a contract that runs until June 30.
Despite his superior experience, the Pole accepted a secondary role and went about things in a professional manner waiting for his opportunity.
That came in the Copa del Rey away at Barbastro at the turn of 2025, as Flick fielded a series of second-string players.
Yet when Pena was late for a meeting ahead of the Spanish Super Cup semifinal against Athletic Club, a more permanent appointment opened up for ‘Tek’ who then played the decider won via a 5-2 thrashing of Real Madrid as well.
Pena has been on the outside looking in ever since, with Flick confirming at a prematch press conference that the veteran is “clearly” his number once choice between the sticks.
“Szczesny is number one, clearly,” Flick said. “We’ve chosen ‘Tek’ for his personality and for his way of doing things, his style, for how he plays. He’s always been very good. They’re both great as goalkeepers, also our younger talents.”
As SPORT reveals, though, Pena’s situation has irked him to the point of confronting Flick “to know first-hand the reasons that had led the German coach to bet on Szczesny in recent games”.
Flick reportedly highlighted Pena’s lateness and stated a belief that he also hasn’t been self-critical enough in “other situations that have occurred during the season”.
The conversation between the two was described as “tense” and “awkward”, with Pena now considering leaving the club in the summer.
After making his way to the first team of an elite outfit such as Barca, there will certainly be a market for the 25-year-old somewhere else.
And considering that Szczesny could stay another year by way of a contract extension, Pena would become the third choice behind him and Ter Stegen once the German returns from injury, if he sticks around.
