Madrid, Aug. 9 -- With La Liga due to kick off the 2025-26 season in less than a week, last year's top four teams are all at slightly different points in their respective preparations.
Domestic and European competitions hardly gave any respite ahead of next summer's FIFA World Cup finals.
Reigning La Liga and Copa del Rey champion FC Barcelona has made two signings in striker Marcus Rashford and goalkeeper Joan Garcia, but has so far not been able to register either that pair or Gerard Martin and Wojciech Szczesny in its first-team squad due to Spain's strict financial fair play regulations.
That leaves Inaki Pena as the only first team goalkeeper currently available, and has forced the team to take the shock decision to allow central...