Hansi Flick has already told one Barcelona player that he does not count on him for the future — Report | OneFootball

The first leg of the UEFA Champions League Round of 16 tie between FC Barcelona and Benfica was yet another indication of how crucial Polish goalkeeper Wojciech Szczęsny has become for La Blaugrana.

The Pole made up to 8 saves in this game, and thus, his contributions were essential to keep the Catalans alive in the tie, while on the other end of the pitch, Raphinha did his work to actually give his team a lead even though they were a man short for the most part of the match.

Hansi Flick himself recognised Szczesny’s immense performance in this game as he spoke to the press ahead of the game against Osasuna, which was scheduled to take place last night but was postponed.

But as Szczesny continues to prove himself an essential part of the squad, his competitor Inaki Pena continues to languish. Despite having been a starter for a considerable part of this season, his role now is clearly secondary.

Photo by Alex Caparros/Getty Images

In fact, Fichajes reports that Flick has already told the 26-year-old goalkeeper that he does not count on him for the future, and Barcelona are now working to find other options to replace him in the team.

It remains to be seen how Pena’s future will pan out, but with his skills and potential for further growth, he can easily have offers from other clubs where he will have greater prominence than what he is enjoying currently at the Blaugrana team.

Meanwhile, his departure will also be welcome to Barcelona, as it would allow them to free up space in their squad and have a different goalkeeping structure in the team for the next season.

For now, the Catalans seem to have already made the decision for his departure, and everything indicates that he will be joining another side next summer.