The two parties have reached an agreement and are now looking ahead together. And so Marc-André ter Stegen, who was recently reinstated as captain, was able to give the traditional speech at FC Barcelona’s season opener.
The special relationship between Marc-André ter Stegen and FC Barcelona had gained momentum again in recent days and made several headlines – such as the initiation of disciplinary proceedings by the club, the withdrawal of the captain’s armband and the non-assignment of a jersey number.
Ter Stegen responded with clear words (“Completely unfounded”), before FCB itself tried to calm things down and reinstated the DFB keeper as captain after he signed the important medical reports.
Ter Stegen: “As far as I’m concerned…”
This Sunday, the following news made the rounds: Following the truce between the two parties, ter Stegen would give the obligatory speech to the fans as the Blaugrana’s “acting captain” during the annual Joan Gamper Trophy. The club had helped him draft his speech, according to Mundo Deportivo and Sport.
And lo and behold: in this time’s duel with Serie A side Como 1907 for former Barcelona pro Cesc Fabregas, the 33-year-old really did grab the microphone and spoke the eagerly awaited words at the Johan Cruyff Stadium.
Among them were sentences such as: “As far as I’m concerned, I believe it was important to clarify the matter between the club and me.” In his speech, ter Stegen also looked ahead to the season, his rehabilitation, and soccer itself: “Now is the time to look forward.”
Ter Stegen said he was “really looking forward to the start of the season” and added: “We have a very challenging season ahead of us. There are only a few days left, and we are working hard to achieve a lot of success.” Coach Hansi Flick praised the German international to the skies: “He has led us back to very successful football. Thank you, Hansi – and thank you to the entire coaching staff. We now have a squad with a lot of character and good energy, both on and off the pitch, and I hope we can celebrate many successes.”
But what does the future hold for ter Stegen, who unsurprisingly did not repeat his recent criticism of the traditional Catalan club? One thing is clear: If the Spanish La Liga – like the club – assumes that the goalkeeper will be out for at least four months after his back surgery, FCB is likely to register Joan Garcia, who was recently signed from Espanyol Barcelona for around €25 million, in time for the start of the season. He is set to become the new number 1 and successor to ter Stegen, which is what triggered all the recent headlines.
