The injury to Ter Stegen at the beginning of the season was an unexpected blow for Barça, which saw one of its pillars sidelined for the rest of the season. This unforeseen event disrupted the club's plans, which, without time, was forced to sign Wojciech Szczęsny.
The Pole arrived at Barça for free, after having been away from professional soccer for several months due to his decision to retire. Although his fitness level was uncertain, the situation forced the club to rely on his experience and quality between the posts, hoping he could compete with Iñaki Peña.
The arrival of Szczęsny and the competition with Iñaki Peña
Upon arrival, Szczęsny was understood to be a temporary solution. The Pole landed at Barça with the mission of competing for the starting position with Iñaki, who had taken the starting spot in Ter Stegen's absence.
This way, the club thought that the competition between the two goalkeepers would be positive for the team's performance. However, what seemed to be a wise measure has ended up becoming an unstable situation.
After the Super Cup won by Barça, Szczęsny has surpassed Iñaki Peña and managed to take the starting position from him. After the match against Valencia, Hansi Flick confirmed that the Polish goalkeeper has secured his place in goal and will continue as the starter until the end of the season.
Iñaki Peña doesn't understand the situation
This turn of events hasn't been easy for Iñaki Peña to digest, who saw himself as the starter. The La Masia goalkeeper, who had proven his worth during Ter Stegen's injury, didn't expect to lose his starting position.
In this regard, Iñaki's discontent is evident, and his relationship with Flick has been affected. In the match against Valencia, Flick confirmed that Szczęsny would be the starting goalkeeper, making it clear that Peña's starting role was a thing of the past.
Iñaki Peña's disappointment is palpable, and according to 'El Nacional.cat', the goalkeeper is seriously considering leaving the club of his life next summer market.
Barça will try to sign a goalkeeper in the summer
The situation becomes even more complicated considering that Barça plans to sign another goalkeeper for the next season. If names like Diogo Costa or Lucas Chevalier were to arrive, the situation with Iñaki Peña would be unsustainable, especially with the return of Ter Stegen.
The competition would intensify, and Iñaki would find it increasingly difficult to find a place in the first team. Thus, Iñaki Peña's future at Barcelona seems to be at a crossroads. The arrival of Szczęsny, his loss of the starting position, and the potential addition of new goalkeepers next transfer market leave his continuity at the club hanging in the air.