Joan García met his youth club again for the first time and was heavily attacked. Sportingly, he showed a magnificent reaction – the press is full of praise.
This 2-0 victory in the city derby against Espanyol was very special for Joan García. Not only was the FC Barcelona goalkeeper voted Player of the Match – he also made some spectacular saves against his former club.
“He played an unforgettable game,” praised the Spanish newspaper As of the man who replaced Marc-André ter Stegen as Barca’s number 1, adding: “What Joan García has achieved borders on science fiction.”
Joan García saved FC Barcelona’s victory with several brilliant saves
“He is one of the best goalkeepers in the world,” coach Hansi Flick said happily at the press conference after the match. “I believe he will never forget what he experienced here. He was one of those responsible for the victory,” added the German.
Barcelona: Unpleasant Start for García
Even during the game, the 24-year-old felt the hospitality of the home fans. He was booed with every ball contact. But he remained unfazed. “He delivered a great game and was not impressed by the hostile atmosphere,” wrote Marca .
A curious scene occurred in the 20th minute: García initially parried a shot to the middle, Pere Milla had the chance to convert the rebound. But García reacted with presence of mind and “sacrificed” teammate Gerard Martin as a kind of shield, pushing him into Milla’s attempt. With success: Martin blocked the ball.
“This confirms not only his intelligence but also his understanding of the game,” Marca praised this situation. Mundo Deportivo summarized García’s game as follows: “An impressive performance that will be remembered for a long time.”
“Saves worthy of an extraterrestrial”
Shortly before halftime, it became spectacular again. After a cross to the near post, it was Milla again who demanded a brilliant save from García with a header from about five meters. The Spaniard quickly stretched his right hand up and steered the ball over the crossbar.
As raved about a “monumental performance” and “masterful saves worthy of an extraterrestrial.” Thanks to late goals from Robert Lewandowski and Dani Olmo, Barca still won the game. However, the best player of the match was between the posts.
“Joan is incredible. He’s a great goalkeeper,” praised goal scorer Olmo on Movistar Plus . Teammate Fermín López echoed this sentiment: “He’s a great goalkeeper and had a great game.”
García: Special Return in the Derby
The 24-year-old García met his youth club again for the first time since his transfer in the summer. He joined Espanyol in 2016 at the age of 15, went through all youth departments there, and eventually rose to become the number one. This was followed by the move to the rival. An extraordinary and particularly daring step.
García was the first player since Igor Korneev in 1994 to switch clubs within the city.