Barcelona’s road to Seville carries a late question from the goalkeeping department, with Joan García being assessed for discomfort in his right knee after an awkward moment in the rain at the Spotify Camp Nou.
The goalkeeper reported to the club’s training complex on Thursday morning for detailed medical checks. Barcelona found only minor discomfort in the joint and did not identify any serious structural problem, but stopped short of declaring him fit or unavailable for the visit to Ramón Sánchez-Pizjuán in 48 hours. His status will depend on how the knee responds over the coming hours.
“First-team player Joan García has minor discomfort in his right knee,” Barcelona said in its medical update. “His availability will be determined by his progress.”
The incident came during the match against Racing de Santander, when García left his area to retrieve a ball. Heavy rain had made the Camp Nou surface slippery, and he lost his footing without actually falling to the ground. The movement was enough to cause pain and prevented him from returning for the second half, when Wojciech Szczęsny took over between the posts.
There is one reassuring detail for García and Hansi Flick’s staff: the problem affects a different knee from the one that required surgery last season. Early examinations have also ruled out major damage.
A cautious selection decision in Seville
Although Barcelona’s statement was relatively encouraging, the expected absence could still last between three and four weeks. Such a timetable would allow García to recover during the approaching international break, rather than forcing an accelerated return in one of La Liga’s most demanding away settings.
Flick is unlikely to take a risk if the goalkeeper is not fully ready for the journey south. Barcelona have capable cover available after Szczęsny stepped in against Racing, while Croatian international Dominik Livaković is another option in the squad.
For now, the decision remains open. Barcelona leave the wet evening in Catalonia behind and turn toward Seville with García’s recovery under close watch, his right knee dictating whether he can take his place in the side at Sánchez-Pizjuán.
