After a remarkable season in which Barcelona clinched a domestic treble — securing La Liga, the Copa del Rey, and the Spanish Super Cup — the club is determined to build on this success. As they prepare for the new campaign, Barcelona’s leadership is focused on enhancing both their sporting and financial projects, with the clear ambition of reclaiming their reputation on the European scene.
In line with this, the club has started evaluating offers for several first-team players to raise funds for potential signings and strengthen the squad where necessary. According to reports from Spanish outlet El Nacional, Barcelona concluded the 2023-24 season with a commanding 3-0 win against Athletic Bilbao at San Mamés.
While the outcome had no bearing on the league standings, it carried emotional weight as it marked the unofficial departure of key figures within the squad — most notably goalkeeper Iñaki Peña.
Peña, who began the match as the starting goalkeeper, made his final appearance for the club following a decision by new manager Hansi Flick.
The German coach opted against including Peña in his plans for the upcoming season, urging him to seek opportunities elsewhere during the summer transfer window. Flick, after a thorough assessment, determined that Barcelona’s goalkeeping department required stronger competition and concluded Peña was surplus to requirements.
The 2024-25 season initially held promise for Peña, especially after Marc-André ter Stegen sustained an injury early in the campaign. This allowed Peña to step up as the first-choice goalkeeper for several months, during which he performed commendably in La Liga and the Champions League, albeit with occasional mistakes.
However, his position weakened after the arrival of Wojciech Szczęsny, who swiftly established himself as the preferred option between the posts. As a result, Peña’s involvement decreased, with his future at Camp Nou becoming increasingly uncertain.
Tensions reportedly grew between Peña and Flick, with the goalkeeper feeling undervalued, although the decision to drop him was based purely on sporting reasons. The situation worsened with Ter Stegen’s recovery and the club’s interest in Espanyol’s promising goalkeeper Juan García, who could further limit Peña’s opportunities.
Despite his contract running until 2026, Barcelona appears open to facilitating Peña’s exit, as multiple clubs within and outside Spain have shown interest.
The match at San Mamés quietly marked the end of Peña’s Barcelona journey — a player who rose through La Masia and lived his dream, leaving with trophies and the respect of his teammates but also a sense of unfulfilled potential.
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