Barcelona’s first preseason match on their Asian tour, which they won 1-3 against Vissel Kobe, has made several headlines. The game was good, Hansi Flick’s team showed depth, the new players performed quite well, but one of those who did not travel to Japan also made the news: Marc-André Ter Stegen. The German goalkeeper is not in his compatriot’s plans, and the Blaugrana club is already moving to put pressure on him and prove it, but the former Borussia Mönchengladbach player is still thinking about staying in Barcelona and will undergo surgery on his back. However, there is a small internal battle over how long he will be out, as this would allow Barça to maneuver or not in terms of his salary.
The fact is that Barcelona began the summer by letting the press know that they were not counting on Ter Stegen after the signing of Joan García, who arrives to be Hansi Flick’s first-choice keeper. That is why all the rumors focused on the sale of the German goalkeeper, but his decision was clear: he was not going anywhere. During the preseason, he was working out in the gym due to back problems that will require surgery. This is where a new battle begins, as if he is out for four months or more, Barça could use 80% of his salary to sign new players, but the German insists that he will only be out for three months, which would not allow his salary to be used to sign new teammates.
Ter Stegen’s captaincy
Just as Barcelona was setting off for Japan to play its first friendly match, rumors began to circulate that the club wanted Ter Stegen to step down as captain of the first team.
At Barcelona, the team captain is chosen by a vote, so if they continue to do so, it will be his teammates who have the power to decide whether he is among the chosen ones or not. Barça could also put pressure on the team members not to vote for the German. “If there is a vote, it is a matter for the coach.
I guess when we get back to Barcelona, we’ll talk about it,“ began Eric García, who scored the first goal against Vissel Kobe after the match. ”Last year it was a vote, I don’t know how it will be this year, so we’ll wait until we get back and see,” continued the Catalan defender, who did not want to get too involved in the issue of the captaincy and taking it away from Ter Stegen.
The number ‘1’
On the other hand, Joan García made his debut as a starter in Hansi Flick‘s first line-up on this Asian tour. It was very striking to see the goalkeeper with the number ‘1’ on his back, the number worn by Ter Stegen in recent years. Just as Lamine Yamal has debuted the ‘10’ worn by Messi, Maradona, and Ronaldinho, it seems that the former Espanyol player will also begin to wear that number, something that has generated quite a debate about how Barcelona is treating the German goalkeeper.
Hansi Flick also spoke after the friendly match and tried to be clear, downplaying the issue. The Barcelona coach went so far as to say that Joan García wore the number ‘1’ “simply for the tour,” so he could wear another number during the season, especially if Ter Stegen ends up staying, although giving it to him has already been a message from the club to the German goalkeeper. “Pedri also wore the ‘8’, Lamine Yamal I think wore the ‘10’… no, seriously, it’s for the tour,” added the former Bayern Munich coach.