Overview
- Joan Garcia slipped near the touchline during Barcelona’s match with Racing Santander and was withdrawn at half‑time after reporting right‑knee discomfort, a change that occurred during the 7-2 game on Wednesday.
- FC Barcelona’s official statement described the problem as mild right‑knee discomfort and said availability will depend on the injury’s evolution, while multiple media outlets reported scans showing a meniscus tear with an expected three‑week layoff and no surgery.
- Wojciech Szczęsny replaced Garcia at half‑time and remains Hansi Flick’s primary backup despite making a costly error after coming on, with Flick signalling Szczęsny is the leading candidate to start in Seville.
- New signing Dominik Livaković is an available alternative but has not yet debuted, and Flick has called up La Masia goalkeeper Iker Rodriguez to first‑team training and the matchday group as emergency cover.
- Garcia will miss Saturday’s trip to Sevilla and likely miss Spain’s immediate fixtures if the shorter recovery holds, with the international break providing a window that could limit his total time out depending on how the injury responds to treatment.