National team coach addresses La Liga superstar’s links with Barcelona – ‘I have told him that…’ | OneFootball

Catalan national team head coach Gerard Lopez has spoken out about the future of Joan Garcia, the Espanyol goalkeeper who has emerged as one of La Liga’s top shot-stoppers.

With Barcelona strongly linked to a move for the 24-year-old, López has advised caution and maturity amid the growing buzz.

Speaking after Catalonia’s 2-0 win over Costa Rica, where Joan Garcia featured, Lopez didn’t hold back in praising the keeper’s remarkable rise this season.

“I’ve told him that the season he’s had is crazy and that he’s becoming a great goalkeeper,” said Lopez. “But he needs to stay calm.”

Indeed, Garcia’s campaign with Espanyol has turned heads across Spain. Statistically, he finished the season as the goalkeeper with the most saves in La Liga, a testament not only to his reflexes and decision-making but also his consistency in a struggling team.

Does he see him at Barcelona?

Yet when asked directly whether he sees Joan Garcia donning a Barcelona shirt in the near future, Lopez struck a more reserved tone.

“I see him at Espanyol, which is the team he’s under contract with,” he stated firmly, highlighting that the player must respect his current club.

Barcelona are interested in Joan Garcia. (Photo by David Ramos/Getty Images)

Still, the coach’s words revealed admiration. He described Garcia as a grounded and mature professional who understands the magnitude of the moment he is living in.

“He’s got his head on straight, his feet on the ground, and he’s aware of the potential he has.”

While Lopez did not endorse a move to Barcelona directly, he did leave the door open for Garcia’s future.

“I hope that wherever he goes, he continues this progression. We have, in Catalonia, one of the best goalkeepers in the world.”

With Barcelona considering changes in the goalkeeping department this summer and uncertainty over the future of Marc-Andre ter Stegen, Garcia could yet be seen as a viable long-term investment.

However, given his contract and current development arc at Espanyol, any move will need to be handled with both patience and respect.

Source: Mundo Deportivo