German coach Hans Felk threw his artistic weight in the file of goalkeeper Mark Andre Ter Stegen, amid an escalating tension between the veteran goalkeeper and the management of Barcelona. While the player’s future prevails, Felk has taken a balanced position, maintaining a clear line without engaging in the clash between the two parties.
Did Barcelona actually start abandoning Ter Stegen?
The crisis between Ter Stegen and the administration exploded after the club signed the young goalkeeper Juan Garcia, who appeared essential in the first matches of the Asian round and wore the No. 1 shirt, which was understood as a direct message from the administration to the German goalkeeper, who adheres to staying until the end of his contract.
Despite this tension, Felk was satisfied with clarifying that Garcia’s wearing number 1 came only to the necessities of the preparatory round, stressing the absence of deeper connotations.
Felk prefers neutrality .. and respects the history of the guard
According to the Spanish newspaper “Sport”, Felk refuses to enter into the existing conflict, and preferred to leave the details of the guards’ registration to the director of the ball, while emphasizing his respect for what Ter Stegen has provided since joining the team in 2014.
Felk had met with the goalkeeper as soon as the team returned from the holiday, and explicitly informed him that he was outside his technical plans for the new season, without showing any hostility, in reference to the coach’s desire to avoid side conflicts.
Why did Ter Stegen’s comments caused a crisis?
The recent crisis was exacerbated after Ter Stegen announced via the “X” platform that he underwent back surgery and moved away from the stadiums for three months. However, the club quickly responded with a statement indicating that the doctors estimated its absence between four to five months, which raised questions about coordination between the two parties.
The step made by the goalkeeper is seen as a kind of challenge, especially with internal demands to remove him from the leadership badge he carried since last season, pending the final decision after the end of the Asian tour.
What is the fate of the leadership badge in Barcelona?
Felk has not yet decided the identity of the new captain, but he knows very well that the pressures inside the club are increasing to strip Ter Stegen from the emblem, especially after he surpassed the club administration in the media. The indicators indicate that the German coach will issue his decision after the end of the Asian team’s obligations.
Ter Stegen’s contract with Barcelona
Mark André Ter Stegen is still three years old, as it ends at the end of the 2027-2028 season, while the goalkeeper is 33 years old, which complicates the issue of his departure in light of his clear desire to complete his contract.
