Barcelona’s star goalkeeper and captain, Marc-André ter Stegen, will undergo surgery after suffering a complete rupture of the patella tendon in his right knee, the club announced on Monday. The injury occurred during Barcelona’s 5-1 victory over Villarreal, with Ter Stegen awkwardly falling before being stretchered off the field just before halftime.
Ter Stegen’s injury could potentially rule him out for the rest of the season, leaving Barcelona to consider their options. Inaki Peña replaced the 32-year-old German international during the Villarreal match and is expected to fill in for now. However, Barcelona coach Hansi Flick did not confirm whether the club would seek a new goalkeeper, stating it was too soon to comment.
Ter Stegen’s injury comes after a difficult week, as he faced criticism for a mistake in Barcelona’s 2-1 Champions League loss to Monaco. Ter Stegen had also recently assumed greater responsibilities with Germany, starting in the Nations League following Manuel Neuer’s retirement from international duty.
Further updates on Ter Stegen’s recovery are expected after his surgery.
