FC Barcelona are well aware of the risks that come with losing their key players. Recent news has confirmed that Barça captain Marc Andre Ter Stegen is set to undergo surgery and may be out for several months. In his stead, the Catalan giants have a 24-year-old Spaniard to defend the Barcelona goal.
Inaki Pena, a product of the Barcelona youth academy, is the second-in-command to the German goalkeeper. Xavi’s Barcelona has depended upon the services of the Spaniard for the last two games, and despite initial worry, the goalkeeper has established himself as a more than capable replacement for the Barcelona captain.
However, according to Mundo Deportivo, there are specific reasons as to why Barcelona maintains blind faith in the player. Beyond just impressing the fans with his latest performances, the coaching staff have long since held complete faith in the abilities of Pena.
Hard worker:
One of the primary reasons behind this undoubtable faith is his work ethic. The Spanish is reported to be one of the early birds in training and one of the last to leave. His time away from first-team action has not taken any unnecessary mental tolls on him either.
While certain players require psychological help to enable them to perform at their best again, Pena continued to quietly keep training and preparing for his opportunity. Now, given Ter Stegen’s unfortunate unavailability, Pena has sprung to life.
Quick to perform:
Moreover, his performances clearly showcase that he did not even need time to get going. Two crucial games of the season, one against FC Porto in the Champions League and the other against Atletico Madrid in La Liga, were both won with the Spanish goalkeeper defending the Barça goal.
Penalty-stopping specialist:
Apart from that, the player is acknowledged for his time in the subsidiary. In particular, his penalty-stopping ability is seen as a great asset and trait. On various occasions for the subsidiary side, he has come up clutch for the team in tense situations during penalty shootouts.
Similarities to Ter Stegen:
Even more interestingly, the player is seen by Barcelona to be quite similar to Ter Stegen, in fact. In terms of composure, he shares the ability to keep a level head even in the most high-pressure environments. As a result of this, he is not just valuable to Barcelona but to other interested sides as well.
Xavi’s faith:
Alas, it was Xavi Hernandez himself who convinced him to remain with Barcelona. Despite the starting position being occupied by Ter Stegen, Pena was made to stay as the Barcelona coaches retained their faith in his abilities and communicated that to him.
Time in Turkey:
Even during his short 6-month stint at Galatasaray starting from January 2022 on loan, the player was convincing. He made the decision to allow himself some more game time, and that loan spell convinced Xavi of his capabilities as a player.
Perhaps not as important on the field, but Inaki Pena is also known to live a simple life. Not involved in theatrical antics or a loud life outside of football, his normality is something Barcelona appreciates. Moreover, they consider it a great choice of life for a player within their club.
