Szczęsny Steps In as Barcelona's Goalkeeper After Garcia's Injury

Barcelona’s calm first half against Racing at Camp Nou took a jolt just before the break when Joan Garcia slipped and finished the period in clear discomfort. He didn’t reappear after half-time.

Hansi Flick turned to experience. Wojciech Szczęsny came on for his first minutes of the season, the veteran preferred ahead of summer arrival Dominik Livakovic as Barcelona looked for a steady hand in goal.

The change raised immediate concern around Garcia, who has been growing into the role as Barcelona’s first-choice Spain international. Early indications, though, brought a measure of relief. According to RAC1, the club made the switch as a precaution and initial assessments suggest Garcia has avoided a serious problem.

He will undergo further tests to confirm the extent of the issue and to rule out any hidden damage from the slip. Barcelona now wait on those results, hoping their young keeper is cleared in time for Saturday’s La Liga meeting with Sevilla, when Flick will again have to decide between trusting his emerging No. 1 or leaning on Szczęsny’s weight of experience.