Marc-André ter Stegen will not play again this season. The German goalkeeper suffered a ruptured patellar tendon, and could be replaced by a medical joker.
Disaster for FC Barcelona in a season that has been perfect so far from an accounting perspective. During the Catalans’ big victory at Villarreal (1-4), Marc-André ter Stegen had to be evacuated on a stretcher, screaming in pain. The scans confirmed the pessimistic prognoses.
Ter Stegen indeed suffers from a rupture of the patellar tendon in his right knee, and his season is over. Barça therefore has the right to sign a medical joker, with a strict rule: this reinforcement cannot be under contract elsewhere.
The list of candidates was limited, and notably included a few… retired guards. This is the option that Barça chose. The replacement for Marc-André ter Stegen will indeed be a priori Wojciech Szczesny (34 years old), who announced his retirement last August after being released by Juventus.
Fabrizio Romano, among other reliable sources, assures that the Pole will ultimately extend his career and sign a one-year contract at Camp Nou. Szczesny remains on a good Euro personally with Poland, after a season as a starter at Juve.
The former Arsenal goalkeeper commented on the rumor to Mundo Deportivo, simply wishing Marc-André ter Stegen a speedy recovery. “He’s a good friend and a great goalkeeper and I wish him the best. That’s the only thing I can comment on.”
