Eric Garcia: from electoral weapon to indispensable wild card

BarcelonaEric Garcia's name was on everyone's lips in January 2021. The then-Manchester City player was strongly linked with reinforcing the defense of a Barcelona side in crisis. The club was immersed in an election process, and candidate Víctor Font proposed an agreement with City to sign the center-back for €3 million. Joan Laporta, who would ultimately win the election, believed it was better to wait until the end of the season, as Eric's contract would then expire. Carles Tusquets, president of the interim board, wasn't convinced the deal would go through without consensus among the candidates. The back-and-forth ended when Ronald Koeman put his foot down: the coach demanded a quick decision, arguing that the debate was pointless and destabilizing the squad. So, there was no movement that winter, and in the summer, a free leap year, Eric arrived in Barcelona.

Today, the center-back from Martorell is once again the center of attention. Hansi Flick has made him an indispensable utility player for Barça, a key figure in the starting eleven who can play in the center of defense – his natural position – as a defensive midfielder or at full-back. This versatility and consistent playing time have earned him a contract extension until 2031, which he signed this Thursday. "He's an example for the youth academy players," says the club, highlighting Eric's "maturity and commitment," adding that he brings "talent and leadership" to the team. But Eric's arrival at Barça was anything but easy. The team was mourning Messi's departure and adrift in La Liga and Europe, with Koeman sacked and Xavi Hernández taking the reins in November. With Piqué and Lenglet already in the squad, and Araujo combining full-back and center-back positions, Eric's place in the starting lineup was far from guaranteed. In any case, he played a significant role: he played 36 of the 45 matches he was available for – he was out for a month in January – and started 32 times. In the end, he played 2,809 minutes, 69 percent of the total possible.

Míchel persuades Eric to sign for Girona

However, the feeling wasn't entirely positive. A product of Barça's youth academy and later mentored by Pep Guardiola in Manchester, he was recognized for his good ball distribution but considered weak in one-on-one situations and in the air. In his second season, he lost his starting role. He played in 32 of the 51 matches, only 18 of them as a starter. In total, he played 1,815 minutes, 40% of the possible total for a team that won La Liga but once again faltered in Europe. The sporting director had doubts, and the Girona option then arose. Míchel called him to convince him, and the deal, a loan without an option to buy, was finalized at the end of August.

"The loan seemed like a good idea to us in case he could get playing time and increase his value. Although at that time we didn't think he could come back to stay," notes an authoritative source at Barça. At Montilivi, things went very well for Eric. He started in all 30 league matches he was available for. He was only a substitute in the Copa del Rey, due to squad rotation. In total, he played 2,673 minutes, 90 percent of the possible total. He was part of a historic Girona side that would eventually qualify for the Champions League. He also discovered his goalscoring prowess, netting five goals. Girona and Míchel were delighted with Eric. They wanted him to stay. But the summer of 2024 was a year of change at Barça, who were still unable to sign players normally because of the fair play Financial. Furthermore, Hansi Flick was taking over as manager, so the club brought back the center-back from Martorell. Once again, the ghosts reappeared. Just when he had secured a starting position, an adductor injury sidelined him for almost two months. His return was difficult. The team was already settled, and Cubarsí and Iñigo were the starting center-backs, with Araujo as their backup.

Summer 2025: Leaving Barça is not an option

Around Christmas 2024, Míchel called Eric again. Initially, the player seemed convinced about returning to Montilivi, but then two things happened. First, Flick objected. And second, Girona wasn't considering a loan, but rather a permanent transfer. Eric decided to heed the coach's advice and stayed in the Barça dressing room. The decision would prove "key," as the player admitted during his contract renewal. He didn't get as many minutes as he would have liked, but he played more than in his last year at Barça (2,104) and scored five goals. The important thing was that he began to feel the coach's confidence, who saw him not only as a center-back but also as a versatile option. "One day we had an emergency and Flick asked me if I could play at full-back. I had already played there for Girona and I told him I could adapt. In the end, the more positions I can play, the more chances I have of getting playing time." Last summer, Girona came knocking again to buy Eric, but the door was closed. "I had no doubts, I made that clear to my agent. I'm really enjoying myself here," says the player. The statistics confirm that the decision was the right one. At 24, he's proving indispensable to Flick's starting eleven: he's played all 22 matches this season, starting 19 of them. That's 1,680 minutes out of a possible 1,980, or 85%. "Whether I played or not, I always believed I could be a starter at Barça," the player affirms. Time has proven him right.