Barcelona regrets signing Livakovic

Apuesta a este partido aquí

UEFA Champions League

1 X 2

Galatasaray Barcelona

13/10/26 21:00:00

7.50 5.50 1.33

 PUBLICIDAD

Cuotas validas al publicarse, sujetas a cambios. Regístrese en bet365, ingrese 5€ o más en su cuenta y conseguirá un 100% de su ingreso válido en créditos de apuesta (hasta 100€). Solo para clientes nuevos. Se aplican las condiciones. Las ganancias no incluyen el importe de los créditos de apuesta. Se aplican premios máximos, restricciones de juego, límites de tiempo y condiciones. Es necesario registrarse.

Dominik Livakovic did not play a single minute in the Barcelona 7-2 Racing match despite Joan Garcia having to leave the field at halftime due to knee discomfort. Hansi Flick chose Wojciech Szczesny, a decision that reignites the debate about the rationale behind the Barcelona signing.

Dominik Livakovic misses an unexpected opportunity

Joan Garcia slipped in the final action of the first half and reported discomfort in his right knee. On September 17, Barcelona confirmed it to be a minor ailment and stated his availability pending further evaluation.

The substitution led to a surprising choice given the expected hierarchy following Livakovic's arrival. The 31-year-old Croatian remained on the bench while 36-year-old Szczesny took to the field for the entire second half.

The decision had immediate consequences. Szczesny lost the ball under pressure from Yassir Zabiri in the 65th minute, allowing Racing's forward to score the 4-2. Barcelona went on to win 7-2, but the error once again raised questions about the goalkeepers' order.

This situation does not mean that Barcelona has ruled out Livakovic. In fact, the club officially announced his signing on August 27, with a four-season contract lasting until June 30, 2030.

Livakovic's signing was intended for a different role

The signing of the Croatian international was completed with Fenerbahçe for an initial fee of 2 million euros, plus additional sums according to reports during the operation. Reuters estimated the cost at 2 million plus 500,000 euros in add-ons.

The initial plan differed from the scenario seen against Racing. Reports prior to the agreement's closure indicated that Livakovic was meant to become Barcelona's second-choice goalkeeper, especially considering Szczesny's expected departure at the end of his contract.

In addition, Livakovic arrives with accumulated international experience: he has featured in the 2018, 2022, and 2026 World Cups and has been part of the Croatian national team since 2017. With Fenerbahçe, he played 74 matches and kept 24 clean sheets before joining Barcelona.

His recent trajectory also explains Barcelona's interest. In the second half of the 2025/26 season, he was loaned to Dinamo Zagreb, where he played 15 games, conceded 10 goals, and kept eight clean sheets.

Barcelona now needs to resolve the hierarchy

Joan Garcia's injury forces Barcelona to manage a situation that could change if the Catalan goalkeeper needs more time off. The club confirmed that his progress will determine his availability and that he will be unavailable for the September 19 Sevilla match.

Here lies the pending issue for Livakovic. If Joan Garcia remains sidelined after the break, the Croatian and Szczesny will be the two available options, but the Racing match showed that Flick did not place Livakovic ahead of the Pole at that time.

The next step will come at the Sánchez-Pizjuán: Joan Garcia will be absent against Sevilla, and Barcelona will once again have to choose between Szczesny and Dominik Livakovic. Flick's decision will reveal whether the Racing incident was a one-off choice or the start of a new goalkeeping hierarchy.

This news is an automatic translation. You can read the original news, El Barcelona se arrepiente del fichaje de Livakovic