Barcelona strip Marc-Andre ter Stegen of captaincy as feud escalates

BARCELONA – Barcelona stripped Marc-Andre ter Stegen of the captaincy on Aug 7, as a feud escalated between the Germany goalkeeper and the club over his injury status amid the Catalans’ attempts to register new signings.

Barca signed 24-year-old goalkeeper Joan Garcia from local rivals Espanyol in June, with the club likely to sell ter Stegen, 33, to make space in their wage bill for Garcia and Manchester United loanee Marcus Rashford.

However, ter Stegen had to have more surgery to finish repairing a multiple knee ligament tear suffered last season, closing the door for him to leave in the close-season transfer window and forcing Barca to try a different approach.

The club asked him to sign a long-term medical leave that would allow them to clear 80 per cent of his wages until mid-season and comply with La Liga’s Financial Fair Play rules.

But ter Stegen’s announcement on social media that he would be sidelined for only three months irked the club management, as La Liga rules require a player to remain out of action for at least four months to be considered a long-term injury.

“FC Barcelona announces that, following the disciplinary proceedings opened against player Marc-Andre ter Stegen, and until this matter is definitively resolved, the club, in agreement with the sports management and the technical staff, has decided to temporarily remove him as captain of the first team,” Barca said in a statement.

“During this period, the duties of first captain will be assumed by the current vice-captain, Ronald Araujo.”

Ter Stegen missed seven months after suffering a knee injury in 2024, forcing him to have surgery before making his return in May. He previously underwent back surgery in 2023, which sidelined him for over two months.

“This time, the doctors believe about three months will be necessary as a precaution, to avoid any risks,” said the German, who has been at Barcelona since 2014, winning six La Liga titles and a Champions League.

“Emotionally, it hurts a lot not being able to support the team during this time. Fortunately, the rehabilitation is manageable and the road back is clear.” 

It was that comment about being out for “three months” that the club were not happy with.

The controversy essentially highlights Barcelona’s financial struggles as they have battled to register new signings for several years running.

The team are set to begin their La Liga title defence on Aug 16 at Mallorca amid the continuing captaincy crisis. REUTERS