FC Barcelona kicks off its new Champions League journey this Thursday at 21:00 hours, taking on Newcastle at St. James’ Park, marking the debut of Joan Garcia on Europe’s biggest club stage.
The club’s major signing in the transfer market faces an early test in the Blaugrana jersey. So far, the goalkeeper from Sallent has played four matches, keeping two clean sheets against Mallorca and Valencia, while conceding three goals.
Without a doubt, his first standout performance was in Vallecas against Rayo. The Catalans ended in a 1-1 draw, but Joan Garcia was the match’s real hero with five crucial saves, helping Barça return to the Catalan capital with a point.
Transitioning from Espanyol to Barça has been seamless for Joan. He’s adapted well to the advanced defensive line and better ball distribution that comes with wearing the Blaugrana colors. This was evident in the recent match against Valencia.
Searching for Great Stages
Debuting in the Champions League at a historic Premier League stadium like St. James’ Park is a monumental start. It will be Garcia’s first experience in European competition, as he never ventured beyond national tournaments with Espanyol.
Joan Garcia’s big nights before joining Barça were spent facing top LaLiga teams like Barça itself in derby matches or against Real Madrid. In the Copa del Rey, he only advanced past the round of 16 once, against Athletic in San Mamés in 2023 (1-0).
If he remains fit and retains the starting position established at the season’s onset, he will be ensured two Clasico matches, along with seven more Champions League games, including key fixtures against Paris Saint-Germain in Barcelona and Chelsea at Stamford Bridge.
Garcia hasn’t yet received a call-up to Spain’s senior national team, however, he’s a strong candidate for selection by Luis de la Fuente for the 2026 World Cup, potentially becoming one of the three goalkeepers for ‘La Roja’. He has defended the under-21 goal twice, with both games being European qualifiers: against Malta in 2021 and Slovakia in 2023.
Other Potential Debuts
From the current Barça squad, Marc Bernal is the only first-team player besides Joan Garcia yet to debut in the Champions League. Having re-debuted against Valencia after over a year due to injury, he might also get his first minutes in the star competition this Thursday.
Alongside him, other players from the Barça B team, like Jofre Torrents or Toni Fernández, are already accustomed to first-team dynamics. The left-back will likely see more minutes, being the only alternative to Gerard Martín on the left flank, while the younger Fernández faces more competition in the forward line.
It’s noteworthy that the other two signings of the season already have Champions League experience. Marcus Rashford has played 37 Champions League matches (33 with Manchester United and four with Aston Villa), and Roony Bardghji has eleven appearances with Copenhagen.
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