Barcelona’s No. 1 goalkeeper, Marc-André ter Stegen, is likely to miss the rest of the season after suffering a severe injury during the club’s 5-1 victory over Villarreal in their recent La Liga fixture. The German keeper sustained a significant patella tendon injury in his right knee after a bad fall while attempting to claim a corner, resulting in him being stretchered off the field in visible pain.
Ter Stegen was immediately rushed to a nearby hospital for medical assessment. Following the match, Barcelona’s head coach, Hans Flick, expressed his concern, saying:
“It doesn’t look good for Marc. We have to wait for the full diagnosis, but it’s true that it appears to be very serious. This injury makes us sad, and while we hope for the best, we believe it could be a huge blow.”
Barcelona has since confirmed that Ter Stegen underwent surgery for the injury, with a recovery time expected to be between 7 to 9 months, effectively ruling him out for the remainder of the season. His long-term absence is a significant setback for Barcelona, as Ter Stegen has been a crucial figure between the posts for the team.
With Ter Stegen out, the Catalan giants will likely rely on backup goalkeeper Iñaki Peña to step up in his place. However, the club may also explore the option of bringing in a new goalkeeper during the January 2025 transfer window to bolster their squad as they aim to maintain their form in both domestic and European competitions.
This injury adds to Barcelona’s growing list of sidelined players, further complicating their season.
