The goalkeeper departs Espanyol for Catalan rivals Barcelona for his €25m buyout clause. The move was confirmed on Wednesday.
Garcia has signed a contract to 2031 with Barca, having spent the past nine years with Espanyol.
And his exit was acknowledged by Espanyol with a one-line announcement: "Goalkeeper Joan García has paid his release clause—25 million plus the CPI—and is ending his time as a player with RCD Espanyol."
Espanyol feel betrayed
Meanwhile, modern-day Espanyol hero Moises Hurtado commented: "I didn't expect it. He's a reserved, introverted guy... but he's the one who makes the decision.
"I was surprised that people were surprised that Espanyol felt betrayed. Football is a very emotional thing."
He also said: "When someone from Barça goes to Espanyol, it's not the same. Joan was a symbol, our role model.
"He's the main reason we're still in the Primera Division."
Hurtado added, "Joan's situation is a thing of the past; we have to invest the money wisely to generate excitement."