Barcelona goalkeeper Joan Garcia has been ruled out of Saturday’s La Liga clash against Sevilla after suffering mild discomfort in his right knee during the 7-2 win over Racing Santander, also forcing his withdrawal from Spain’s upcoming international squad.
Barcelona goalkeeper Joan Garcia has been ruled out of Saturday’s La Liga trip to Sevilla after suffering a minor knee injury during the club’s 7-2 victory over Racing Santander on Wednesday. The setback will also prevent the 24-year-old goalkeeper from joining Spain’s squad for the upcoming international break.
Garcia started Barcelona’s midweek fixture against Racing Santander but was unable to complete the match after experiencing discomfort in his right knee. He was replaced by Wojciech Szczesny at the beginning of the second half as Barcelona continued to control the game and eventually secured a convincing victory.
Following the match, Garcia underwent medical examinations to determine the seriousness of the injury. Tests confirmed that the goalkeeper had not suffered a serious injury, but Barcelona have nevertheless ruled him out of the club’s immediate fixtures while he recovers.
“First-team player Joan Garcia is experiencing mild discomfort in his right knee. His recovery will determine when he returns,” Barcelona said in an official statement.
The injury affects Garcia’s right knee, rather than his left knee, which required surgery last year. Barcelona will continue to monitor his condition, with the timing of his return dependent on his recovery and response to treatment and rehabilitation.
Garcia has become an important member of Barcelona’s squad since joining the Catalan club and had also earned a place in Spain coach Luis de la Fuente’s squad for the upcoming international window. His latest injury has now forced Spain to make a change to its goalkeeping options ahead of the international fixtures.
De la Fuente has called up Josep Martinez as Garcia’s replacement in the national team. Martinez will join Athletic Club goalkeeper Unai Simon and Arsenal goalkeeper David Raya among Spain’s goalkeeping options for the upcoming international commitments.
For Barcelona, the immediate focus will be Saturday’s La Liga encounter against Sevilla. With Garcia unavailable, Szczesny is expected to be available for selection after taking over in goal during the second half against Racing Santander.
The injury occurred despite Barcelona enjoying a comfortable night against Racing Santander. Garcia’s early withdrawal was one of the few concerns for the club from a match in which they scored seven goals and completed a dominant victory.
Barcelona will now hope that Garcia’s recovery progresses without complications. The goalkeeper’s absence comes at a time when the club continues its La Liga campaign and manages a busy schedule involving domestic and international football.
The Catalan side will assess Garcia’s condition over the coming days before determining when he can return to first-team action. Barcelona have not provided a specific recovery timeline, making his rehabilitation progress the key factor in deciding his availability for future matches.
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For Spain, the decision to bring in Josep Martinez ensures that the national team retains three goalkeeping options for the international fixtures. Meanwhile, Barcelona will rely on its available goalkeeping resources for the Sevilla clash while waiting for further updates on Garcia’s right-knee discomfort.
