FC Barcelona had to cope with several notable injuries during the last season, with several important players missing significant game time with physical issues. One of these players was the goalkeeper, Marc Andre Ter Stegen, whose back issues forced him to undergo surgery and miss a significant stretch of the season.
While this problem was clearly unfortunate, it still allowed one of the Barcelona youngsters, Inaki Pena, to get a chance to play on the pitch and prove himself. He did a mixed job in the German’s shot-stopper’s absence, as he impressed in some matches while leaving a lot more to desire in other matches, but that is normal for a second-choice goalkeeper.
With the return of Ter Stegen, Pena went back to his supporting role, and he knows that he will not get a lot of game time in the presence of the German shot-stopper. Still, according to Mundo Deportivo, the idea of leaving the Catalan club has never crossed the Spaniard’s mind.
The 25-year-old goalkeeper does not contemplate leaving Barça, despite the club having given him permission to leave if an irresistible offer arrives for him in a summit between his agents and Deco two weeks before the last season ended.
He currently has a contract with the Catalan club till June 2026, and he is looking forward to starting the upcoming pre-season being the starting goalkeeper, especially as Ter Stegen will join the team late in the summer after his holidays.
Germany has already qualified for the Round of 16 of the currently underway UEFA EURO 2024, a tournament which is going to end on 14th July. Thus, if his national team side goes all the way to the final, there is a chance that he will not be able to join the team for the first friendly match in the USA, and thus Pena can start against Manchester City on 30th July.
