Barca’s 2024-25 season started with a massive injury for Marc-André Ter Stegen. Although Szczesny was signed quickly to cover for MATS, Flick seemed to trust La Masia keeper Inaki Pena a lot more. For the first half of the season, Pena was the undisputed starter for Flick’s Barca. But then what happened to him? From being a starter, the 25-year-old ghosted from the team in the second phase of the season. His rapid fall from grace reveals some interesting points. Let’s see why Inaki’s dream crumbled so quickly.
Was Iñaki Peña’s Strong Start Just a Mirage?
Culers had mixed opinions regarding Pena starting for Barca. But his sudden rise quickly won the hearts of many fans, as the keeper made a decent mark in Flick’s team. The October games were his first big test. Barca had to face Bayern, Sevilla and Real Madrid that month, and it was Pena’s first burst of good performances. Inaki Pena performed brilliantly in all those important games and won Flick’s trust.
But was it just a mirage? The 25-year-old was very good at sweeping the ball, but he was never a great shot stopper. Pena’s great start did not last long. The flame flickered and extinguished as soon as 2024 ended. Flick gave him his chances, but it seemed he did not have what Flick wanted. Hence, Szczesny took over.
Peña’s Mediocrity Caught Up With Him
Inaki Pena had to do more to impress Hansi Flick. His streak of decent performances suddenly declined as Barcelona’s horrific decline in La Liga form started in November. Barcelona lost a points lead of 9 points and crashed from top spot. During this time, Pena’s save percentage was only 68.7%. These numbers even trailed Ter Stegen’s already declining numbers.
Pena’s keeping also showed some critical flaws during these couple of months. The Spaniard’s reach was questionable, and the sweeping also got a bit shaky. If we compare him to other UCL keepers like Donnarumma, Courtois or Sommer, the keeper stood nowhere. His numbers weren’t just good enough for Flick to continue with him.
Is There More to Peña’s Fall From Grace?
January 2025 was a transition for Hansi Flick from Inaki Pena to Szczesny. Wojciech Szczesny did not impress many fans in his initial few games, but Flick went on with him. This made Inaki Pena quite upset as reports claimed he had a heated conversation with Flick on this topic, later in February. However, Flick declared that Pena isn’t self-critical. This statement was more of a death sentence for Inaki Pena.
Hansi Flick’s style demands relentless evolution from his players, and Pena lacked that. The goalie expressed resistance to feedback, and it sent a bad message. This was another reason for Pena’s fall from grace. Flick’s sidelining of Pena was not personal at all; Pena just didn’t do enough.
Concluding Remarks
Pena’s arc this season was definitely a bit sad, but it is also a parable for modern Barca. Talent is just not enough; you have to evolve and be consistent. Elite clubs and coaches demand elite keepers, not just temporary heroes. Pena’s next chapter likely lies at a Galatasaray-level project.