Barcelona head coach Hansi Flick has expressed full confidence in Spanish goalkeeper Iñaki Peña, claiming the 25-year-old would be a fine addition for any team, Soccernet.football reports.
Peña has risen to prominence within the Barcelona set-up this season following his impressive performances in goal for the Blaugrana in the absence of injured first-choice shot-stopper Marc-Andre ter Stergen.
Barcelona brought in Wojciech Szczesny for the remainder of the 2024/2025 season to fill in for the injured Ter Stegen. Most assumed he would quickly replace Peña, who had struggled with consistency last season during Ter Stegen’s absence due to a back injury.
However, Peña has more than met the challenge this season, establishing himself as the team’s first-choice goalkeeper with outstanding performances in crucial matches.
The Spaniard turned up fantastic performances in high-profile games against Bayern Munich and Real Madrid in the Champions League and La Liga respectively, solidifying his place in Hansi Flick’s starting lineup.
Ahead of Wednesday’s Champions League clash with Red Star Belgrade, Flick praised Peña in a Tuesday press conference, speaking highly of both his qualities as a player and as a person.
“Iñaki Peña is a very likeable player, a young goalkeeper with a very good personality,” the German gaffer said as reported by Barca Blaugranes.
“Having a player like him would be good for any team, any team would want to have him.
“He will be an important player tomorrow, he gives us stability and I’m sure he will have a good game.”
From the start, Flick made it clear that Peña was his preferred choice, stating that only a serious dip in form would prompt him to consider Szczesny. His trust has paid off, as Peña has shown increased confidence and consistency in goal.