Hansi Flick needs just one more victory to equal Barcelona’s record number of consecutive league starts. He continues to rely on Inaki Pena, who faces a tough challenge in Pamplona.
Who will beat FC Barcelona in La Liga? Next up are CA Osasuna, but Hansi Flick is thinking at least of the home record of the Pamplona team. “The stadium is fantastic and the fans support them a lot,” says Flick, but probably only from hearsay. For him, it will be his first visit to the Estadio El Sadar, at least as a coach. Pamplona have picked up ten points in front of their own fans, but the big names have not been among their guests so far.
That will change now. Barcelona are not only top of the table, but are also aiming for a club record. If the Catalans win again, they will break the record set in 2013/14, when Tata Martino accumulated eight wins in a row.
Inaki Pena will be in goal again, but he will surely have more to do this time than in the 1-0 win against Getafe. Marc-André ter Stegen’s replacement had a relatively quiet Wednesday evening, with the visitors managing just 22 percent possession. Apart from one chance at each end, Getafe posed no danger. A header from Carles Perez (7th) landed exactly in the 25-year-old’s arms, and shortly before the end he had to make a save after a dangerous cross from the right – Borja Mayoral missed the ball.
“Inaki can be in the starting lineup for the whole season, he works well,” said Flick, who spoke of a “good connection between the goalkeeper and the defense” in the game against Getafe. “It’s good that he has the confidence.”
The coming weeks will show the extent to which the trust is mutual. According to reports, Wojciech Szczesny (34) will be joining the goalkeeping team; the former Polish national goalkeeper had actually hung up his gloves at the end of August. It remains to be seen who Flick will put his trust in, but Inaki Pena’s consistent performances have set the bar high for his notable rival.
Comeback from de Jong in the coming week?
But there could be some changes in Pamplona before Inaki Pena. “There will be rotations, we have to make them,” said Flick. “But we need the experienced players, we need Raphinha and Lewandowski.” Gavi will not yet play a role, but he is still on course for a comeback. The 20-year-old is “increasing his pace”.
Frenkie de Jong, out since April with an ankle injury, is also finally on the road to recovery. “Frenkie is on the verge of his recovery. It’s good to see him,” said Flick. “He’s an experienced player and can help me, even if he only plays 20 minutes. We’ll see that next week.”