Joan García: 'Ter Stegen has the respect of the entire squad'
Barça's new goalkeeper Joan García opens up about his rapid adaptation to life at Camp Nou, his relationship with the captain, and his Champions League dreams.
Barcelona’s summer signing Joan García has seamlessly slotted into life at Camp Nou, revealing the respect he holds for injured captain Marc-André ter Stegen while establishing himself as a reliable presence between the sticks for the Catalan giants.
Settling in at the Camp Nou
Seven months after swapping Espanyol blue and white for the blaugrana, the 24-year-old goalkeeper from Sallent has adapted to his new surroundings with remarkable ease. There’s a certain maturity about García that belies his relatively young age for a goalkeeper.
“Ter Stegen is the captain and has the respect of the entire squad,” García explained, acknowledging the influence of the German international who’s currently sidelined with a long-term injury.
The transition to Barcelona’s distinctive style of play presented its challenges, but García has embraced them:
- He credits both Ter Stegen and fellow keeper Wojciech Szczęsny (“Tek”) for helping his development
- Notes that playing with his feet is more emphasized at Barça, though he was already comfortable with this aspect
- Appreciates Hansi Flick’s confidence in him as a newcomer
From Espanyol prospect to Barcelona number one
García’s journey from Espanyol’s academy to Barcelona’s first team is unusual but he’s handled the derby divide with class. He singles out his return to his former club as one of his most special moments alongside winning the Spanish Super Cup against Real Madrid.
The goalkeeper admits the step up to regularly competing for silverware has required adjustment: “Finals, playing for titles, is something I wasn’t used to, but we all like to play these kinds of matches.”
Global impact
What’s surprised García most isn’t the football itself but the worldwide impact of wearing the Barcelona badge.
“The impact of Barça. Not just in Barcelona or Catalonia. In any city, any country. Saudi Arabia, Japan… In airports, hotels. It’s spectacular,” he reflects. “What the club moves, there’s no club that moves it.”
Future ambitions
Despite his rapid rise, García keeps his feet firmly on the ground. Already with one trophy in his cabinet, he’s hungry for more:
- Dreams of Champions League glory: “It’s the most important at club level. Here I can play it”
- Has his eyes on the World Cup with Spain, though hasn’t received a call-up yet
- Excited about playing in the renovated Camp Nou with 105,000 fans: “It will be incredible”
From his superstition of always playing in short sleeves (even in freezing Prague temperatures) to his methodical preparation, García is proving to be a proper Adam’s apple for Barcelona - that’s rhyming slang for capable, in case you were wondering!