Flick keeps goalkeeper decision secret and strongly backs Szczęsny

FC Barcelona will face Sevilla without Joan García, but Hansi Flick has refused to reveal who will replace his first-choice goalkeeper. The decision appears to be between Wojciech Szczęsny and Dominik Livaković, with the coach offering particularly strong public support to the Polish veteran.

Joan García missed Barcelona’s final training session before the trip to the Ramón Sánchez-Pizjuán. He suffered a problem in his right knee during the 7-2 victory over Racing Santander and was replaced at half-time. The club confirmed his absence from training, while reports in Spain state that he will not be available for the next match.

FLICK WILL WAIT UNTIL MATCHDAY

Flick was directly asked whether Szczęsny or Livaković would start against Sevilla. He gave nothing away, telling reporters they would have to wait until matchday.

However, his next answer carried a clear message. Flick acknowledged that Livaković is a goalkeeper of a very good level, but then highlighted Szczęsny’s contribution to Barcelona’s league title.

“We won the league with Szczęsny and it was in large part thanks to him. For us, he is a fantastic goalkeeper with a lot of experience,” the Barcelona coach said.

It was a significant show of faith after the Racing match. Szczęsny came on at half-time and made an error in the build-up to the visitors’ second goal, but Flick refused to turn one mistake into a public trial. By Barcelona’s standards, choosing calm over another internal drama almost qualifies as a novelty.

THREE GOALKEEPERS, ONE UNANSWERED QUESTION

Eighteen-year-old Iker Rodríguez also joined the first-team session. The academy goalkeeper trained alongside the senior squad and could travel as the third option for the game in Seville.

Szczęsny remains the most likely starter, although Flick deliberately stopped short of confirming his selection. Livaković, meanwhile, is still waiting for his opportunity after joining the squad. Barcelona therefore have several options, but no official answer to the simplest question: who will start in goal?

The most important part of Flick’s message was not the pre-match secrecy. One error has not erased Szczęsny’s standing, and the coach publicly reminded everyone of the goalkeeper’s role in last season’s title. The final decision will only become clear shortly before kick-off against Sevilla.