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Hansi Flick during a Barça press conference

FLICK IS CLEAR ABOUT MINUTE MANAGEMENT

Flick settles the Barça goal debate and leaves doubts about Frenkie de Jong's physique

Published:19/10/2024 - 17:46h

Updated:19/10/2024 - 22:11h

Hansi Flick referred to the debate in the FC Barcelona goal before the duel against Sevilla. For the German, the ownership of Iñaki Peña remains indisputable

Calendar of FC Barcelona

FC Barcelona will face Sevilla this Sunday in its return to LaLiga after the October national team break with several new features in its squad. The first of them is Wojciech Szczesny, who will be available to debut in Montjuïc if the coaching staff requires it. However, Hansi Flick made it clear who will occupy the culé goal in the next matches in the press conference prior to the duel against Seville.

"We are very happy with Iñaki Peña and there are no reasons to change now either in LaLiga or the Champions League," explained the coach. Barça faces a key week in both competitions, which includes the European duel against Bayern Munich (at home) and the visit to Real Madrid in what will be the first Clásico of the season (next Saturday). The Pole was aiming for the XI in any of the three upcoming games, but the coaching staff's plans point in another direction.

Flick is clear: Iñaki Peña will continue to be the starter

In that sense, the German coach confirmed his confidence in the Alicante goalkeeper, although the option of using the Polish goalkeeper for the European duels was on the table. "I don't have in mind alternating the goalkeepers. You never know what will happen, but Iñaki will play tomorrow and Wednesday," Flick reiterated. In this way, although Wojciech will be included in the squad for both duels, for now he will remain on the bench.

Regarding the physical condition of the player from Warsaw, he added: "This is the plan we have, but we don't know what can happen. Szczesny is doing well in training. And we are happy that he is here and ready to play." The former Poland international hasn't played since June (during the European Championship), but he has looked very good in his first two weeks training in Barcelona. However, its official debut will have to wait a little longer than many assumed.

Frenkie de Jong, with some discomfort before Barça-Sevilla

Another highlight of Hansi Flick's press conference featured Frenkie de Jong. The Dutchman was another of the players with options to enter the XI against Sevilla, but his physical evolution suffered an unexpected setback in the last few hours that led the coaching staff to reduce his minutes on the field again to avoid another injury. 

"We will see him tomorrow. Yesterday he trained very well, he had some discomfort. Today we have monitored him. He started training with the team, then he trained separately. I had in mind that he would play tomorrow, but now we will wait until tomorrow," explained the coach. from Heidelberg. Frenkie did not travel with the Netherlands during the break to work on his physical recovery, but Arkel is still far from being 100% after spending the last five months in the Barça infirmary.