Marc-André ter Stegen expected to be out for three months after his surgery. This time has now passed – however, a comeback still doesn’t seem to be in sight.
On July 24th, Marc-André ter Stegen addressed his fans. After his last back surgery, it took him “66 days” to “return to the field,” ter Stegen wrote on X .
“This time, the doctors assume that about three months will be necessary as a precaution to avoid any risks,” added the 33-year-old.
Now 97 days have already passed – and thus a little more than three months. In Spain, the question is therefore gradually getting louder: What exactly is happening with ter Stegen now?
Mundo Deportivo recently wrote that the FC Barcelona captain is continuing his rehab program after his surgery. “It will still take a while until his return,” it was further stated.
Ter Stegen “a bit further out”
The AS , meanwhile, sees ter Stegen at Barca as “a bit further out.”
This is because, in the summer, the Catalans notably first signed Joan García as the new number one from Espanyol Barcelona – already accompanied back then by considerable fuss about ter Stegen’s role.
And now, in the Clásico at Real Madrid, the reactivated substitute goalkeeper Wojciech Szczesny also scored points with a saved penalty against Kylian Mbappé.
Since ter Stegen recently focused on his recovery, “little has been heard from him during this time,” wrote the AS and, referring to his self-announced absence of three months, expressed surprise about his continued absence.
Ter Stegen’s absence was a contentious issue in the summer
This self-determined announcement had made headlines in the summer. Ter Stegen faced accusations in the press that he was sabotaging García’s registration.
According to LaLiga rules, a club in Spain can use 80 percent of the injured player’s salary to register other players – but only if the injured player is out for at least four months.
Ter Stegen later refuted the accusations in a statement. All personnel matters at the Catalans had been completed before his procedure, he wrote, and at no point could he have assumed “that my unfortunate circumstances with the new surgery I had to undergo could be related to the registration of other players.”
The fact that his return to the field still does not seem foreseeable could also be related to the fact that the four months stipulated by LaLiga for classification as a long-term absence have not yet passed.
“Low chances of a key role” at FC Barcelona
But back to the sporting aspect. Whether his near future continues to lie in the Catalan capital was recently questioned more strongly again. After all, it’s also about his position in the national team.
The situation at Barca leaves ter Stegen with only “low chances of a key role,” reported Mundo Deportivo .
Without match practice, his standing in the German national team regarding the World Cup is likely to continue to decline. Always under the premise that he is also physically fully fit again.
“He is the number one when he plays,” emphasized national coach Julian Nagelsmann in September.
In mid-October, a report by AS still stated that ter Stegen sees his future continuing at Barcelona and wants to challenge García for the spot between the posts again. Recently, Sky reported that a loan in winter is not out of the question. FC Chelsea has already been discussed as a potential buyer.
When will ter Stegen return?
At FC Barcelona, the waves have smoothed after the foot passed over him in the summer. Coach Hansi Flick also admitted mistakes in dealing with ter Stegen.
“He is a top goalkeeper, and he gets all the support from us,” Flick said in an interview with Sport Bild in October. But he also emphasized: “We have in Joan García a very young, talented goalkeeper who is at a very good level, and we all together decided that this should be the future of Barcelona. Therefore, it was clear what our approach is.”
García’s return after a meniscus tear is expected in November. The exciting questions remain: When will ter Stegen also return? And what happens next with him?
The topic is likely to gain further momentum, especially with regard to the winter transfer period.