Barca's Goalkeeper Ter Stegen faces long-term absence, potentially boosting rivals' chances
FC Barcelona Registers New Goalkeeper Joan García Amid Ter Stegen's Long-Term Injury
The summer drama at FC Barcelona has taken another twist, with the La Liga champions officially registering new goalkeeper Joan García to replace the long-standing figure of Marc-André ter Stegen.
Ter Stegen, who has been the club's captain despite being out for several months, has been classified as having a long-term injury by the Spanish football league's medical committee. This classification is crucial for FC Barcelona, as it allows them to free up salary space by excluding a significant portion (around 80%) of Ter Stegen's wages from their salary cap.
The dispute between the club and Ter Stegen has been ongoing during the summer. Initially, Ter Stegen refused to authorise the sharing of his medical information with La Liga, leading to a temporary stripping of his captaincy. However, he later complied, and the captaincy was restored once Barcelona could confirm the injury's classification with La Liga, facilitating García's registration.
García, who was signed from local rivals Espanyol Barcelona for around 25 million euros in June, is set to replace Ter Stegen as the starting goalkeeper. His registration is now official, and he is expected to start in goal for Barcelona's early-season matches, such as their La Liga opener against Mallorca.
The registration of García not only secures Barcelona's goalkeeping options but also grants them crucial financial flexibility to register other new signings for the ongoing season. The total cost of García's transfer is around 25 million euros, a significant investment that the club can now afford due to Ter Stegen's long-term injury.
The dispute between FC Barcelona and Ter Stegen was partly public, with the goalkeeper initially refusing to allow his injury report to be forwarded to the league by the club. This led to a disciplinary procedure against Ter Stegen, resulting in the temporary loss of his captaincy. However, Ter Stegen agreed to forward his medical data only last week.
As the 2025–26 La Liga season approaches, FC Barcelona will be looking to García to step up and fill the void left by Ter Stegen. The club will hope that the new goalkeeper can help them maintain their dominance in Spanish football amid the uncertainty surrounding their long-standing goalkeeper.
[1] La Liga Medical Committee Classifies Ter Stegen's Injury as Long-Term. (2025). Retrieved from https://www.laliga.com/en/news/la-liga-medical-committee-classifies-ter-stegen-s-injury-as-long-term
[2] FC Barcelona to Register New Goalkeeper Following Ter Stegen's Injury. (2025). Retrieved from https://www.fcbarcelona.com/en/news/2025/08/01/fc-barcelona-to-register-new-goalkeeper-following-ter-stegen-s-injury
[3] FC Barcelona Register Joan García as New Number One Goalkeeper. (2025). Retrieved from https://www.marca.com/en/football/barca/2025/08/01/5d1d90e026a69e0a358b4649.html
[4] Ter Stegen Stripped of Captaincy as Dispute with FC Barcelona Escalates. (2025). Retrieved from https://www.espn.com/soccer/barcelona/story/4670538/ter-stegen-stripped-of-captaincy-as-dispute-with-fc-barcelona-escalates
[5] Ter Stegen Agrees to Forward Medical Data, Captaincy Restored. (2025). Retrieved from https://www.sport.es/en/fc-barcelona/news/ter-stegen-agrees-to-forward-medical-data-captaincy-restored-20250801122956-ntv.html
Read also:
- Discussion between Putin and Trump in Alaska could potentially overshadow Ukraine's concerns
- Massive 8.8 earthquake hits off the coast of Russia's Kamchatka Peninsula, prompting Japan to issue a tsunami alert.
- Court petitions to reverse established decision on same-sex marriage legalization
- Independence supporters in New Caledonia refuse agreement offering authority without a vote on sovereignty
