FC Barcelona were fearing the worst when captain Marc-Andre Ter Stegen got injured. It was not even like the German was in top form and that his presence would be missed in between the sticks but it was the worry as to whether Iñaki Peña had what it took to step up.
Let’s call a spade a spade here. Peña has been with Barcelona for a long time now and he is 25, and until this season, he has hardly showcased his quality after his days with the quarry team. Last season, he did not cover himself in glory in the German’s absence.
Barcelona then proceeded to sign Wojciech Szczęsny, who had retired from the game. It was assumed that the Pole would walk straight into the XI once match fit, replacing Peña. Yet, against all odds, the Spaniard has retained his place—and rightly so.
Now, with every passing game, Iñaki Peña is making giant strides in his career. As per SPORT, despite the stats showing 16 matches played and 17 goals conceded, averaging just over one goal per game, the Spanish shot-stopper is consistently improving and proving that he has what it takes to succeed at Barcelona.
It seems that Peña has modeled his game on the German great Manuel Neuer. This is not to suggest that he is at the same level, but like his Bayern Munich counterpart, the Spaniard excels as a sweeper-keeper and is solid with the ball at his feet.
In Barcelona’s most recent match against Real Betis, Peña, despite conceding two goals—none of which he could be blamed for—made three extraordinary saves, two of which will undoubtedly feature in his career highlights. His reflexes are razor-sharp, and he looks exceptional in one-on-one situations.
That said, there are areas of his game that Peña can and must improve on, with his positioning when he’s not rushing off his line being one of them. Surely, the goalkeeping coaches will be putting in the work with the 25-year-old.
