Barcelona Goalkeeper Dilemma: Szczesny vs Livakovic Ahead of Sevilla Match
Hansi Flick has confirmed that Joan Garcia will not travel to Sevilla after the goalkeeper suffered a knee problem against Racing Santander, forcing Barcelona into a high‑profile decision between Wojciech Szczesny and Dominik Livakovic at the Ramon Sanchez-Pizjuan.
Garcia’s issue is not serious, but serious enough for Barcelona to take no risks.
“We always make decisions together. When the doctors told us what was wrong with him – it’s not very serious, but he needs to rest – we decided he should rest,” Flick explained.
With Garcia out, all eyes turn to the goal. Flick, though, refused to show his hand.
Asked who would start between Szczesny and Livakovic, the German cut the conversation short: “You’ll have to wait until tomorrow.”
Szczesny’s status vs Livakovic’s push
Szczesny walks into this debate with the weight of last season behind him. His experience and influence were central to Barcelona’s La Liga title, and Flick did not pretend otherwise.
“But we won La Liga with Szczesny; it was largely thanks to him. For us, he’s a fabulous goalkeeper with a wealth of experience,” he said.
He was just as keen to push Livakovic’s credentials.
“I think it’s very important to have quality. I think that, with [Dominik] Livakovic, we also have a top-class goalkeeper – that’s just the way it is.”
The goalkeeping question sharpened after the Racing match, when Szczesny made a costly mistake. Flick revealed that the matter had already been dealt with behind closed doors.
“I’ve already told him that we all make mistakes. He made a mistake and he’s aware of it; it won’t happen again.”
From there, Flick broadened the picture. Szczesny, he said, understands the philosophy. Livakovic, fresh from playing, is still adapting to it.
“I think that, right now, the situation with Tek is that he knows what our philosophy is. And Dominik has just played; he’s adapting to our approach. And that’s the issue.
“He can play, he’s ready to play, and that’s what we have to consider. But we always look out for what’s best for the team, not for one player.”
Return to Sevilla and a different Barcelona
Barcelona now head back to a ground that hurt them last season. They lost there, and the memory still lingers. Flick, though, sees a very different side taking the field this time.
“I have to say, first of all, that I think we’re now at a different level to where we were last year. But every match starts at 0–0 and Sevilla, especially at home, are playing very well.”
Sevilla’s approach is no mystery.
“They defend man-to-man and will try to press in those situations. For us, it will be important to play with confidence and move the ball out wide.”
The calendar offers no mercy. Barcelona face a heavy run of fixtures, and Flick has shifted part of the battle away from the pitch and into the recovery room.
“We’re working on that every day. Recovery is a very important part of it and we’re managing our workload very well. And that’s what we need to keep doing. For me, that’s the key.
“We’ve got a lot of matches coming up and we need to keep recovery in mind.”
Adeyemi’s spark and the rotation puzzle
Karim Adeyemi has emerged as one of the bright sparks of recent weeks, his speed and directness giving Barcelona a different edge. Flick’s praise went beyond pace.
“He’s very quick, but I don’t know if he’s the quickest player I’ve ever coached. Alphonso Davies is similar. But he’s a good lad, a good person, and he has a lot of respect for the dressing room.
“Everyone loves him dearly. His performances make things easier.”
Flick is all-in on the forward.
“I’m really glad he chose us. I’ll put my trust in him and I’m 100% behind Karim. We’ll see more matches like the one on Wednesday.”
Rotation will continue to shape Barcelona’s line-ups in the coming weeks. Gabriel Jesus is part of that equation, though Flick again refused to confirm whether the Brazilian will start in Seville.
“We’ll see, but we have to keep making changes to manage each player’s minutes.
“As for whether he’ll start, it was important for him to rest against Racing. For now, that’s all I can say.”
Demands behind the scenes and Raphinha’s new role
Inside the dressing room, Flick wants more. Much more. The energy, the culture, the daily standards – in his view, Barcelona are not yet where they need to be.
“I think it’s not just my job, but that of the entire coaching staff. We work together, with positive energy.”
Then came the blunt assessment.
“To be honest, I’m not entirely happy with this at the moment because we’re only just starting the process and there’s room for improvement.
“But right now I’m not 100 per cent satisfied because we always demand a lot and we need to improve things.”
On the pitch, one of the clearest tactical shifts has been Raphinha’s role. The Brazilian has become central to Barcelona’s pressing game as a number nine, setting the tone without the ball.
“If you look at the last two seasons, we always started the press with the ‘number 9’. And he has that hunger, that drive and that attitude to start the press exactly as we need him to.
“Not only is he excellent in attack, but he’s also excellent in defence. He’s the one who starts the press. As captain, he leads the way and the rest follow him,” Flick concluded.
Barcelona now walk back into the Ramon Sanchez-Pizjuan with a different level, a different leader up front, and a different tension in goal. The question is simple: which version of this team will show up when the whistle goes and it’s 0–0 again?
