Barcelona's Goalkeeping Dilemma Ahead of Sevilla Match

Barcelona are breathing a little easier over Joan Garcia’s knee – but Hansi Flick’s goalkeeping dilemma for the weekend has just got sharper.

The young keeper underwent medical tests on Thursday morning after feeling pain in his right knee during Wednesday’s win over Racing Santander. The problem came from an innocuous moment: he slipped on the slick turf in heavy rain while chasing a loose ball behind his goal.

He played on until the break. Then the alarm bells rang. At halftime, Barcelona’s staff decided not to take any chances and withdrew him as a precaution, with Wojciech Szczesny stepping in for the second half.

Relief over injury, doubt over Sevilla

Early examinations at the training ground brought a significant dose of relief. Initial scans ruled out a serious injury, easing fears of a repeat of last season’s ordeal, when Garcia needed surgery on his left leg.

This time, it’s the right knee. The club made that clear in an official statement:

“First-team player Joan Garcia is experiencing mild discomfort in his right knee. His availability will depend on the evolution of the injury.”

So the worst has been avoided, but the clock is ticking. Barcelona visit Sevilla at the Ramon Sanchez Pizjuan on Saturday, and there are barely 48 hours between Thursday’s tests and kick-off.

That puts Flick in familiar territory: a tight turnaround, a key player nursing a knock, and an international break looming.

Flick’s choice: Szczesny or Livakovic?

Flick has built a reputation for caution in these moments. He does not like to rush players back on the eve of international duty, and Garcia is unlikely to be the exception.

If the slightest doubt remains, the German coach is expected to hold him back and lean on his depth in goal.

Szczesny, who handled the second half against Racing, is the frontrunner to start again. He knows the stage, he knows the pressure, and he has already been thrown into this specific game rhythm midweek.

But there is another option. Dominik Livakovic, Croatia’s No. 1, is still waiting to make his first official appearance in Blaugrana colours. A trip to Andalusia would be a bold stage for a debut, yet it is exactly the kind of decision that can reshape a season’s hierarchy in goal.

Final test before Andalusia

Barcelona will run a last fitness check on Garcia during their final training session before travelling south. If there is any sign of reaction in that right knee, the decision will be simple: he sits out, then uses the three-week international window to recover fully.

If he passes, Flick still has a call to make. Stick with the experienced Szczesny after his mid-game introduction, or open the door at last for Livakovic?

The answer will come on Friday, when Flick faces the media and, one way or another, nails down the identity of his No. 1 for Sevilla.