Football club Barcelona re-appoints Marc-Andre Ter Stegen captaincy following resolution of disciplinary investigation
After a period of tension, FC Barcelona has announced the reinstatement of Marc-André ter Stegen as captain of the first team. The German international goalkeeper, who joined the club from Borussia Mönchengladbach in 2014, has been a pivotal figure for the Spanish giants both on and off the pitch.
The dispute arose when Ter Stegen refused to sign a consent form allowing the club to share his medical report with LaLiga’s Medical Commission after his back surgery in July 2025. This refusal blocked Barcelona from applying LaLiga’s injury rule that would have allowed the club to count part of his salary as exempt for financial fair play registration purposes.
The club considered this refusal as an attempt to hinder their sports and economic plans, since sharing the medical data was necessary to qualify him as a long-term injury and free up salary cap space to register other players. The case caused significant tension, with Barcelona’s sporting director and president intervening behind the scenes.
However, the dispute was resolved when Ter Stegen eventually signed the required paperwork, leading Barcelona to officially close the disciplinary file and reinstate him as first team captain. The club's statement also announced that the paperwork completed brings the dispute to an end.
Ter Stegen has signed the necessary authorization allowing the club to forward his medical report to La Liga, ending the dispute. He publicly affirmed his willingness to cooperate and clarified that his surgery was agreed upon with the club with his long-term health and sporting performance as priorities.
The reinstatement of Ter Stegen as captain comes as a major boost for Hansi Flick's side. The German international can now resume his leadership duties within the FC Barcelona squad. Ter Stegen is expected to return to full action once his recovery from surgery is complete, and he is likely to be available for selection in the third month of the forthcoming season.
The reinstatement occurs amid a critical run of fixtures in La Liga and Champions League campaigns, providing a timely boost for the Catalan club. The statement from FC Barcelona was released on Friday, bringing an end to a period of uncertainty for both the club and its captain.
[1] Barca strips Ter Stegen of captaincy after medical report row [2] Barcelona reinstate Ter Stegen as captain after medical report dispute [3] Barcelona president steps in to resolve Ter Stegen dispute [4] Ter Stegen refuses to sign medical report consent form, causing FC Barcelona disciplinary case [5] Barcelona's Ter Stegen dispute: What happened and why does it matter?
[6] Ter Stegen's dispute over the sharing of his medical report affected both the sports and financial landscape of FC Barcelona.
[7] With the resolution of the dispute, Ter Stegen resumes his role as a key player in Barcelona's football team and as their captain, just in time for crucial La Liga and Champions League fixtures.
