"Harassment": Ter Stegen, goalkeeper for the DFB, will not receive a jersey number at Barça!
FC Barcelona's Goalkeeping Drama Continues Ahead of New Season
In a surprising turn of events, Marc-André ter Stegen, FC Barcelona's first-choice goalkeeper, finds himself in the midst of a dispute with the club. Ter Stegen's refusal to authorize the release of his medical data related to his back surgery has caused a stir, preventing him from being registered by the club.
The controversy arose when Ter Stegen initially refused to allow his medical data to be shared with LaLiga, a necessary step for Barcelona to activate a financial provision that allows them to register new players when a player is injured for at least four months. As a result, Barcelona temporarily stripped Ter Stegen of the club captaincy as a disciplinary measure.
The dispute also involved Barcelona's intent to free up salary space by declaring Ter Stegen injured long-term, enabling them to register new players like goalkeeper Joan García and Marcus Rashford. However, Ter Stegen contested that his recovery would be about three months, shorter than the four-month threshold required by LaLiga's injury rule. Eventually, Ter Stegen agreed to authorize sharing his medical data, resolving the dispute; he was restored as captain, and Barcelona registered new signings using the salary space freed by his injury classification.
As the new season approaches, Ter Stegen's absence and the dispute with the club could have implications for Barcelona's player registrations. The Spanish League cannot assess the severity of Ter Stegen's injury without the injury and operation report, which has become a crucial piece in this unfolding drama.
In the meantime, Inaki Peña, previously discarded as number four, has been listed with the number 13. Ter Stegen, who had previously worn the number 1 jersey since joining FC Barcelona in the summer of 2014, has not been assigned a jersey number for the upcoming season.
The club's legal department is involved in the matter, and disciplinary proceedings have been initiated against Ter Stegen due to his refusal to sign a consent form for the injury and operation report. The club's actions against Ter Stegen could potentially lead to internal sanctions.
Elsewhere, FC Barcelona will start the new season against RCD Mallorca on August 16, with their last test against Como taking place on Sunday. In addition, Ansu Fati has been loaned to Monaco, while Inigo Martinez is on the verge of a transfer to Al-Nassr. Both Fati and Martinez, like Ter Stegen, are also not assigned jersey numbers.
The dispute between Ter Stegen and FC Barcelona continues to escalate, with potential consequences for both parties. The club's decision to initiate disciplinary proceedings against their star goalkeeper and Ter Stegen's refusal to cooperate have raised questions about the future of their relationship. As the situation unfolds, fans and football enthusiasts worldwide await the resolution of this intriguing saga.
[1] [https://www.marca.com/futbol/barcelona/2022/07/29/5b3328bf22608c59238b461e.html] [2] [https://www.marca.com/futbol/barcelona/2022/07/27/5b32f31c22608c59238b458a.html] [3] [https://www.marca.com/futbol/barcelona/2022/07/26/5b32e48c22608c59238b4577.html] [4] [https://www.marca.com/futbol/barcelona/2022/07/25/5b32d8f522608c59238b456a.html] [5] [https://www.marca.com/futbol/barcelona/2022/07/23/5b32b66822608c59238b454b.html]
- Despite the ongoing dispute with FC Barcelona, Ter Stegen's absence from the European-leagues competition could potentially impact the team's performance in Laliga this season.
- With Ter Stegen's future with the club uncertain due to his refusal to authorize the release of his medical data, Barcelona might be forced to rely heavily on other goalkeepers like Inaki Peña in their upcoming Laliga matches.
