It is often said that not all goalkeepers are built to succeed at Barcelona, for the Catalan club demands a very specific style of play from the man who guards the posts.
For a team that plays with fire on attacks, dominates possession and builds up from the last man, a goalkeeper for the club requires not only elite shot-stopping skills but also top-notch ball-playing skills and precise decision-making in terms of sweeping movements.
Finding such qualities in a single profile, for long, was thought to be impossible on the transfer market, but Joan Garcia’s initial games for the club speak otherwise.
In fact, the player has gone on to adapt so perfectly that it is astounding that the club lured him in for just €25 million – a sum that now appears to be a bargain.
The ideal fit
Garcia entered the club guaranteed a starting position over club captain Marc-Andre ter Stegen, and it was always clear that Hansi Flick saw him as not only a long-term bet but an immediate fix to a hidden problem.
The player, however, did not require any such verbal understanding, for he would have earned the spot as Barcelona’s No. 1 quite comfortably, purely through merit, even if Ter Stegen had remained fit.
Garcia’s adaptation to Hansi Flick’s plans has been silky smooth to the point that one wonders if he has played a similar style of sweeping keeping for the past decade.
So far in La Liga, Garcia’s shot-stopping has been elite, as was the case last season. Alongside that, however, he has completed 90% of his passes successfully in addition to having 34 touches of the ball on average – higher than the typical goalkeeper.
He also averages a staggering 3.7 runs out of his area per game with a 100% success rate, proving that he can excel in the sweeping role
The economic factor
If finding such a perfect fit on the transfer market was a close-to-impossible objective in itself, securing it for a mere €25 million takes the bargain to a whole new level for Barcelona.
The current goalkeepers market in the world of football is surprisingly inflated, with clubs desperate for a new shot-stopper forced to shell out massive amounts for unproven names.
Manchester United’s deal to sign Andre Onana for around €50 million is one of the best examples of the same, and the move did not turn out well for either party in the end.
More recently, PSG spent €40 million on Lucas Chevalier in the same transfer window, whereas Fenerbahce shelled out €20 million on a 32-year-old Ederson.
For Barcelona to secure a player with the quality and ceiling of Garcia, who is just 24 years of age and can play at least for the next decade, is thus nothing short of daylight robbery, and Joan Laporta and Co. should consider themselves lucky to have pounced on the deal.
Conclusion
Joan Garcia’s adaptation to Barcelona has been seamless, and it is clear that he is here to stay. The player’s leadership, presence in goal and elite shot-stopping significantly improve the team’s chances on all fronts, especially in the UEFA Champions League.
Garcia was the hero in Barcelona’s recent draw against Rayo Vallecano, and for his quality, would have walked off with three clean sheets in as many games at any club not deploying the high-line.
Playing for Barcelona may not always bring him the numbers he deserves, given that he will be exposed by the high-line, but his mere presence at the back adds a sense of security to the defence. A signing much-needed and worth its weight in gold indeed.
