La Liga confirms Ter Stegen's extended period of injury for Barcelona
Barcelona Secures Registration of New Goalkeeper Amid Ter Stegen's Long-Term Injury
Barcelona has received good news from La Liga's Medical Committee, as goalkeeper Marc-André ter Stegen's back injury has been classified as a long-term injury, meeting the criteria set by current regulations. This ruling will allow the Catalan club to offload a significant portion of Ter Stegen's salary from their financial and registration calculations, providing vital wage budget for registering new players ahead of the 2025–26 season.
The key details and implications of this ruling are as follows:
- Injury Duration & Criteria: Although Ter Stegen initially estimated a three-month recovery, medical experts and Barcelona expect a recovery of around four to five months due to the recurring nature of the injury. La Liga’s long-term injury classification applies if a player is out for at least four months.
- Financial Impact for Barcelona: With the injury meeting the long-term criteria, Barcelona can now register goalkeeper Joan García as a replacement, who will be available for the opening La Liga game vs. Mallorca. The club also gains more flexibility to register additional new signings such as Marcus Rashford, Roony Bardghji, Wojciech Szczęsny, and Gerard Martín.
- Player Registration: The salary relief enabled by this ruling has allowed Barcelona to proceed with the immediate formalisation of player Joan Garcia's registration tomorrow (Thursday).
- Contract Status Speculation: This development raises speculation that Ter Stegen may have played his final game for Barcelona, since long-term injury provisions sometimes pave the way for contract termination or player transfer to manage finances.
- Earlier Conflict Resolved: Previously, Ter Stegen refused to authorize sharing his medical records with La Liga, causing conflict with Barcelona management, including a temporary stripping of his captaincy. He eventually complied, allowing the club to present the injury to La Liga’s Medical Committee for evaluation.
It's important to note that Ter Stegen's injuries have marred the past two seasons, and the 33-year-old goalkeeper underwent back surgery last month. Barcelona tried to have Ter Stegen classified by La Liga as a long-term injury, and their efforts have finally paid off. The club also extended the contract of veteran Polish goalkeeper Wojciech Szczesny this summer.
This ruling marks a significant moment for Barcelona, as they look to navigate the upcoming season with a new goalkeeper in the ranks and a potential change in Ter Stegen's future at the club.
- Barcelona now has the opportunity to register goalkeeper Marcus Rashford, with Ter Stegen's long-term injury allowing for more flexibility in registering new signings.
- As Barcelona prepares for the 2025–26 season, they will be fielding a new goalkeeper, Joan García, who will replace the injured Ter Stegen, given that the injury has been classified as long-term.
