Football goalkeeper Marc-André Ter Stegen will be out again for months. The 33 -year -old keeper of FC Barcelona has to undergo surgery on the back and expects a forced break of around three months, as he announced on Thursday.
“I feel physically and sporty in very good shape, but unfortunately I am not free of pain”wrote Ter Stegen, “After intensive discussions with the medical team of FC Barcelona and external experts, back surgery is the fastest and safest way to completely recover.” Ter Stegen had only celebrated his return to Spanish champion FC Barcelona in early May after a patella tendon tear and eight months of forced break.
Barca future always uncertain
There, the former national coach Hansi Flick is apparently no longer planning with the goalkeeper, so Ter Stegen behind newcomer Joan García and substitute Wojciech Szczesny should only be number three in the Catalans. The German has been playing in Barcelona since 2014 and rose to the captain there.
The renewed intervention should have an additional influence on his future. The 44-time international was almost three months from mid-November 2023 due to back operation. Less than a year later in September 2024, he contracted the serious knee injury.
What does Nagelsmann do now?
The World Cup finals in the USA in the coming year, in Canada and Mexico, should actually be the number one in the German goal. The long failure of the goalkeeper also poses a big challenge with national coach Julian Nagelsmann.
In the games of the Nations League, in which Ter Stegen had returned to the goal of the national team, Oliver Baumann from TSG 1899 Hoffenheim and Alexander Nübel from VfB Stuttgart also belonged to the squad. In the quarter-final games before against Italy, Baumann was in the goal of the DFB selection as Ter-Stegen representative.
“Difficult day”
“I wear the colors and the jersey of FC Barcelona with great pride, whether on or next to the field, in moments of success and in difficult times. Today is a personally difficult day for me”wrote the keeper, “It really hurts emotionally not being able to support the team during this time. Fortunately, rehabilitation is manageable and the way back is free.”
Contract until 2028
His contract at Barcelona runs until 2028, Ter Stegen has announced several times that he does not want to leave the club. With a view to the 2026 World Cup in the USA, Mexico and Canada, he is dependent on a regular place. “I will keep you up to date with my recovery and would like to thank all of you, dear Culers, for the fact that you are always at my side. Don’t worry, I’m coming back!”according to Ter Stegen.