The situation between Marc-André ter Stegen and Barcelona is threatening to turn tense. According to reports, the 33-year-old goalkeeper is currently refusing to sign the medical report that Barcelona intends to submit to La Liga.
Marc-André ter Stegen’s situation at FC Barcelona is rapidly evolving into a full-blown internal crisis, one that could have major implications for the club’s transfer window, squad planning, and even its financial maneuverability under La Liga’s strict salary cap regulations.
The German goalkeeper, who recently confirmed via his own social media channels that he will undergo back surgery, stated he expects to be out of action for around three months. On the surface, it seemed like a routine medical update. But the timing, the phrasing, and the implications behind that announcement have stirred considerable controversy within the club. Ter Stegen’s estimated recovery time of three months falls just short of La Liga’s four-month threshold, which is the minimum period a player must be unavailable for a club to apply for an emergency salary relief clause. This clause is crucial for clubs like Barcelona, whose spending is tightly controlled by the league’s Financial Fair Play regulations.
Without Ter Stegen’s cooperation, Barcelona cannot classify his absence as a long-term injury under La Liga’s guidelines. That, in turn, prevents them from freeing up up to 80% of his salary, which would be essential in registering new signings like goalkeeper Joan García, as well as other transfer targets such as Marcus Rashford, Wojciech Szczęsny, and young Swedish talent Roony Bardghji. In essence, Ter Stegen’s self-declared timeline and his refusal to sign the club’s official medical report indicating a longer absence has effectively blocked Barcelona’s ability to strengthen the squad in the short term.
What adds further intrigue is the speculation that Ter Stegen may have made the three-month estimate public on purpose. Spanish media outlets, including Mundo Deportivo and SPORT, report that some within the club believe the German keeper is intentionally undermining Barcelona’s strategy, possibly out of frustration or a desire to protect his starting spot from Joan García, who has impressed in recent months. García’s potential registration has been frozen because Barcelona cannot create the necessary salary cap space unless Ter Stegen signs off on the medical document.
The club, sensing an act of defiance, responded by preparing an official medical report that outlines a minimum four-month recovery period. The report is based on evaluations by the club’s medical staff, who have reportedly concluded that a full return to match fitness for a back injury of this nature could, conservatively, take at least that long. However, under Spanish privacy laws, Barcelona cannot submit this report to La Liga unless Ter Stegen personally consents by signing it. So far, he has refused not necessarily because he disputes the findings, but because he insists he was never properly informed that the official version of the report would list a longer recovery time than the one he initially shared.
As tensions rise, a critical meeting between the player and the club’s executives has been scheduled for Tuesday. Club president Joan Laporta and sporting director Deco are both expected to be involved, alongside the medical team and manager Hansi Flick. The goal is to defuse the situation and clarify the discrepancy between Ter Stegen’s personal statement and the club’s official stance. But if the meeting fails to reach a resolution, disciplinary action could follow. According to Mundo Deportivo, the club’s hierarchy is already considering launching a formal internal procedure against the player a move discussed during the team’s return flight from their pre-season tour in South Korea.
Internally, there is a growing feeling that Ter Stegen’s stance is not only damaging the club’s strategic planning but also unfairly affecting other players. Most notably, Joan García, who is caught in limbo, waiting to see whether he will be registered in time to compete at the start of the season. The uncertainty around the goalkeeper position has also complicated Barcelona’s plans to reinforce other areas of the squad, with La Liga enforcing a strict 1:1 spending rule unless certain financial thresholds are met including freeing up salary via long-term injury exceptions.
Ter Stegen’s position at the club is suddenly under far greater scrutiny. Though he has been a key figure since his arrival from Borussia Mönchengladbach in 2014 and remains one of the best-paid players in the team, his long-term future is no longer guaranteed. His contract runs until 2028, but due to his high salary and the club’s ongoing financial troubles, Barcelona had already been open to exploring potential transfer options. However, his current injury status makes a summer move impossible. Even if a suitor were found, no club would take on an injured goalkeeper with a hefty salary and a contract lasting three more years.
The situation underscores a broader problem at Barcelona a club still struggling to balance ambition with financial reality. While marquee signings and young talents are linked with a move to Camp Nou, the logistics of registering them remain a constant challenge. La Liga’s financial controls, designed to ensure long-term sustainability, have forced clubs to be far more strategic with their resources. In this context, the cooperation of players like Ter Stegen becomes critical and a public standoff like this only adds to the turmoil.
It also presents a test for new manager Hansi Flick, who has only just begun shaping his vision for the team. Having taken over from Xavi earlier this summer, Flick now finds himself caught in an unexpected conflict involving one of the club’s most senior figures. The way this situation is handled both in terms of diplomacy and disciplinary action could set the tone for the months ahead.
For now, all eyes are on Tuesday’s meeting. Barcelona knows it cannot afford to let the situation drag on, with the start of the season approaching and squad registrations hanging in the balance. Whether Ter Stegen backs down or the club escalates the matter further, one thing is clear: the relationship between player and club has been strained and there may be no easy resolution.
