In the social networks of Iñaki Peña (Alicante, 1999) there is only football and family. “They reflect what is. A calm boy focused on getting what he wants,” they say from Barça. Hence, when Xavi Hernández landed on the Barcelona bench in November 2021 with his rules, Iñaki Peña applied them to the letter. “All players must arrive an hour and a half before training starts to have breakfast together and prepare. Iñaki Peña and now also Iñigo Martínez are the first. They always share a table to which Pedri, Ferran Torres and Marcos Alonso are added,” club sources describe.
Peña came to Barcelona from Villarreal as a child in 2012. From day one they instilled in him the necessary dose of responsibility that has allowed him to reach the elite. He has been with the Blaugrana for eleven seasons now. “The scout at the time told us and we went to see him,” explains Ricard Segarra, who coordinated the Blaugrana goalkeeping area for 18 years. “Iñaki adapted very well. In his first year he already won the League and repeated it during his promotions. Also the Youth League 2017-18,” he tells this newspaper. His good level between the sticks catapulted him to the first team.
At that time the goal was already Ter Stegen’s, with whom he has a good relationship. The second was Neto. The change in format of the Copa del Rey did not help him either. He was 24 years old, a key age to define his future. It was time to make decisions. “When I came to the Galatasaray bench in January 2022, I also signed Ricard Segarra as goalkeeping coach. He told me about Iñaki’s situation and I called him,” recalls former Turkish team coach Domènec Torrent. The goalkeeper accepted a one-year loan to get started. “She came to Istanbul with his partner. “His environment is very healthy,” adds Torrent, who lined him up at the Camp Nou in the Europa League against Barça. That day he earned a passport to return.
“Always play upright. He is very good at building and masters footwork. He does not convey doubts either in training or in games,” they say from the sports city. Even so, in the summer he hesitated and froze his renewal, agreed until 2026. He had played more games with Galatasaray (8) than with Barça (5). He regretted not playing in the quarterfinals of the Cup against Real Sociedad after starting in the previous qualifying rounds. But Xavi convinced him and signed his continuity. With Ter Stegen’s back discomfort he has already played two games. His patience and especially the number of games will define his future.
