“He’s the number one” – Hansi Flick clarifies Barcelona goalkeeping situation | OneFootball

Barcelona are hoping to continue their excellent form in 2025 as they take on Alaves in their latest La Liga clash at the Estadi Olimpic Lluis Companys. Hansi Flick’s have been in poor league form in recent months, although they are off the back of a mesmerising 7-1 victory over Valencia last weekend.

The Catalans won the reverse fixture in Vitoria, and despite Alaves having had a tough season up until now, Hansi Flick has told his pre-match press conference (via MD), that he expects a very tough encounter.

“We have to be careful with Alaves, they score very early. In three of the last five games they have scored before the first ten minutes, we will have to be attentive to that. We’ll see what happens. Each team takes its own choice. What I know is that they will fight 90 minutes to harm us. The most important thing is that we show what we know how to do.

“They have stabilised the defence but they know how to attack in high pressure or with 5 at the back. I see that they score goals in the first minutes and we must be attentive to that.”

Photo by Alejandro García / EFE

Flick also reiterated the point that his players cannot get complacent in matches against perceived weaker opposition like Alaves, which has been an undoing for Barcelona in recent months with dropped points/losses against the likes of Celta Vigo, Las Palmas and Leganes.

“I already commented once: if you leave out 5%, you don’t win. Nor against a more modest opponent, because they are 100%. That’s what I ask of my team, to always play at 100%.”

Flick also confirmed that Wojciech Szczesny has officially replaced Inaki Pena as Barcelona’s starting goalkeeper for the time being, which is a move that has frustrated and disappointed the latter.

“At the moment it is like that. (Szczesny is the number one, yes.”

Szczesny has had a error or two in him in every appearance he has made since taking the starting spot, aside from his debut at Barbastro. In this regard, Pena’s disappointment is understandable, and it could also see him move on from Barcelona as early as this summer.