Would Ter Stegen's injury be a decisive event for the club's second-choice goalkeeper?

FC Barcelona has started the season exactly as they had wanted to. Winning six out of six games in La Liga, that too in dominant fashion, the club sits at the top of the table, four points ahead of Real Madrid. However, despite a magnificent improvisation in the club's performance, their injury woes remain the same, as they faced a massive setback against Villarreal, with Ter Stegen sidelined for around 8 months.

Would Ter Stegen's injury be a decisive event for the club's second-choice goalkeeper?

While the club has faced major injuries recently, the fact that Ter Stegen's injury has caused much turbulence is that apart from being the club captain, he has been a no-brainer in the club's lineup for many years now. Although in Ter Stegen's absence, Inaki Pena, the club's second-choice keeper, could take the gloves, the club hasn't yet decided for the season ahead. Thus, the question arises: would Ter Stegen's injury be a decisive event for the club's second-choice goalkeeper?

Thinking from Barcelona's perspective, Inaki Pena, a homegrown La Masia product, could be the ideal solution to the problem that has arisen at the club. However, what makes this decision not so simple is the fact that Pena hasn't looked excellent so far while representing the Blaugrana club. Overall, in his 23 appearances for the senior team, the 25-year-old has conceded 39 goals, registering just 5 goal sheets.

Moreover, even in the recent fixture against Villarreal, coming in for the 2nd half, Pena looked far from convincing, although he did manage to concede no goal. Another viable option that can be analyzed by Hansi Flick and the staff could be looking for a replacement signing with some prominent names, Keylor Navas and Szczęsny, up for grabs.

However, this possibility again turns out to be more complicated than it seems. As per recent reports from Marca, if Barça signs a goalkeeper who starts ahead of Iñaki Peña, the door will be opened for him to leave the club without extending his contract. Analyzing the possibility more closely, the club might be on the verge of losing a 25-year-old talent if they decide to go for a replacement signing.

Overall, whether Barca signs a goalkeeper or not, Ter Stegen's injury could majorly influence Inaki Pena's future at FC Barcelona. While it is certain that the 25-year-old would be in the goal for the Blaugrana club for the upcoming 2-3 games, it remains to be seen if he will make it to the end of the season.