Goalkeeper Ter Stegen expresses faith in dialogue as a means to resolve the current Barça predicament, stating his belief in the power of discussions to find a resolution.
Barcelona and Ter Stegen in Dispute Over Goalkeeper's Recovery Timeline
Marc-André Ter Stegen, Barcelona's first-team goalkeeper, found himself at the centre of a dispute with his club after a disagreement over his recovery timeline from back surgery.
In late July 2025, Ter Stegen underwent a successful operation, and initially, he was optimistic about a three-month recovery period. However, Barcelona's official medical report, sent to La Liga, stated that he would be out for around four months. This discrepancy led to a conflict with the club, as Barcelona viewed the longer recovery estimate as a means to free up salary space under La Liga’s injury rule.
The injury rule allows clubs to use up to 80% of a player's salary for registration if they are sidelined for four months or more. The longer recovery estimate would have been beneficial for Barcelona, as it would have allowed them to register their latest signing, Joan García, more easily.
Due to this conflict and Ter Stegen's initial refusal to authorize the release of his medical data to La Liga, Barcelona temporarily stripped him of the first-team captaincy in early August 2025.
The situation was resolved when Ter Stegen agreed to authorize the club to send the medical documents to La Liga. Consequently, Barcelona closed the disciplinary case and reinstated him as captain with immediate effect on August 9, 2025. Ter Stegen also publicly denied any attempt to obstruct the club’s registration process and expressed his willingness to cooperate fully.
It's important to note that the minimum recovery time needed for Ter Stegen's surgery was previously communicated to him by experts and coordinated with the club. Ter Stegen's decision to undergo surgery was made after consulting with medical professionals and was approved by the club.
Ter Stegen made a statement on his social media platforms regarding Barcelona's decision to strip him of the captaincy, expressing hope for resolution through dialogue and responsibility. He also announced the minimum recovery time needed, which was communicated to him by experts and coordinated with the club.
The conflict between Barcelona and Ter Stegen has been ongoing for a turbulent week, but it seems that the situation has now been resolved. Ter Stegen, who is eager to return to the pitch, remains committed to cooperating with the club's management and facilitating the required authorization.
Despite the initial disagreement over his recovery timeline, Ter Stegen agreed to authorize Barcelona to send his medical data to La Liga, thereby enabling the club to register new signing, Joan García, more easily. As the captain of Barcelona, Ter Stegen expressed his commitment to cooperating with the club's management, ensuring a smooth return to football in the European leagues, like Laliga.
