Barcelona’s push to keep pace with Real Madrid at the top of La Liga took an early hit at the Estadio Carlos Tartiere, as a costly error from goalkeeper Joan García gifted Real Oviedo the opening goal.
Hansi Flick’s side started the match under pressure, struggling to deal with Oviedo’s aggressive press. Yet despite a shaky opening spell, Barcelona created the better chances once they settled. Marcus Rashford twice forced strong saves from Aaron Escandell, while Raphinha came within inches of breaking the deadlock with a thunderous strike that rattled the post.
Those missed opportunities came back to haunt them when Oviedo struck first. García, who has impressed since his controversial summer switch from Espanyol, came off his line to deal with a ball in behind. After controlling possession, he attempted a risky pass out of defence, but it went straight to Alberto Reina, who seized the opportunity and dispatched a superb 35-yard strike into the net. The Oviedo supporters erupted, while García was left visibly dejected.
The mistake marks García’s first real blemish in a Barcelona shirt after what had been a faultless start. His heroic display against Rayo Vallecano on Matchday 3, where he almost single-handedly secured a point, earned him widespread praise and solidified his reputation as a reliable last line of defence.
While the error was costly, it did not overshadow the quality of Reina’s finish. Executing from such distance was far from straightforward, but he judged it to perfection, punishing García’s lapse in concentration in ruthless fashion.
Teammates and Flick Rally Behind García
In the aftermath, García’s teammates quickly came to his defence. Rising star Pau Cubarsí stressed the importance of unity in difficult moments:
“Joan’s mistake? We are professionals. Joan handled it in the best way. You have to forget what happened; what’s done is done, and you can’t do anything about it. You need to focus on the future, and we’re with him. We’re one big family.”
Head coach Hansi Flick echoed that sentiment, reaffirming his faith in the young goalkeeper and his style of play:
“This is the style we want him to play with, it might happen. He is a fantastic goalkeeper, and in the end, he protects and defends our last line of defense. He is the pillar of our backline and he usually does that very well.”
For Barcelona, the immediate challenge is to regroup and respond. A defeat here would leave them five points adrift of Real Madrid after just six games—a gap the reigning champions cannot afford to widen so early in the season.
As for García, his resolve will now be tested. A goalkeeper’s reputation is often defined by how they respond to setbacks, and this moment provides him with the chance to show the resilience that has already endeared him to many Barcelona fans.
