New Barcelona goalkeeper Joan Garcia forced to change phone numbers after threats over potential Camp Nou move from enraged Espanyol supporters

Garcia, who became Barcelona’s new goalkeeper signing from Espanyol, has reportedly received threatening messages and calls since completing his transfer across the city. The situation escalated so quickly that Garcia was forced to change his phone number and limit public appearances for safety reasons.

Garcia’s move from Espanyol to city rivals Barcelona has not sat well with some fans of Los Pericos. While close friends at his former club have quietly supported his decision, some others at Espanyol have reacted harshly, per SPORT. The 24-year-old skipped a close friend’s birthday last week and has largely stayed home during his holiday to avoid further incidents.

Despite the heat, Garcia has shown maturity in handling the situation, focusing on his professional future. His early days at Barcelona may be turbulent, but the club hopes he can soon settle in and shift the attention to his performances on the pitch.

Barcelona are expected to ease Garcia’s transition with internal support. With pre-season approaching, all eyes will be on how the young keeper responds once training begins and the spotlight returns to football. He is expected to be Hansi Flick's starting goalkeeper, with Marc-Andre ter Stegen being forced out of the team and Wojciech Szczesny expected to take up a back-up role.