Marc-André Ter Stegen will continue watching the games from the box. He did not play against Rayo Vallecano, Porto or Atlético de Madrid and he will not play in the next matches. It is unknown when he will return. However, the enigma about the state of the German’s back since he left the concentration with his national team is resolved. And the worst nightmares for Barcelona fans are confirmed: Ter Stegen will undergo surgery this week due to his lower back problems. This was announced by the club this Tuesday in a medical statement. After the operation, Barcelona will present new information about his condition, so it is unknown when he will be 100% recovered, although it was estimated that he could be out for two months. The note on the goal’s condition is also added to the medical statement from Iñigo Martínez, who has a muscle injury to the femoral biceps, and is also low. He was injured on Sunday in the warm-up against Atlético and was replaced by Christensen.
“Marc has back discomfort and we are going to see this week how things are, anything we have to announce we will say. He has these discomforts, he has not fully recovered; Let’s see,” said Xavi Hernández in the press conference after Sunday’s game. With his words, the noise grew, and the possibility of having surgery increased. The one against Atlético was the third game that the goalkeeper missed with Barcelona. And there will be more. In fact, it will be difficult for him to get between the sticks before the start of 2024.
His back pain appeared during the national team break. Ter Stegen was one more victim in the long list left by the FIFA virus. She left the concentration with the German team on November 17 due to low back pain. Julian Nagelsmann announced that he could not train. But two weeks had passed since then. And the solution to his injury took too long. Between doubts, without knowing who should take care of his condition – since he was injured with the national team – and after consulting various doctors to find the appropriate treatment, the German returned to Barcelona to follow a conservative method, with physiotherapy and repose; During these days he has trained outside the group. And although there was hope and optimism that the pain would subside, the German will finally have to undergo surgery.
It is Iñaki Peña who has taken over until the German goalkeeper recovers. The young man from Alicante is an unexpected hero who saved the three points against Atlético and who faithfully defended Barcelona’s goal against Porto and Rayo. “It’s an example. As he trains, he plays. And when you train at the highest level despite not playing you have this performance. There are no secrets in football. He has always trained as a ten and today he performed as a ten. And the other day the same. His two stops were extraordinary and brutal. Very good,” explained the Barça coach about the goalkeeper’s performance in Sunday’s match. He miraculously managed to stop a free-kick from Memphis Depay in the 80th minute, and Ter Stegen pulled in style to stop Ángel Correa’s shot from inside the area in the final minutes of stoppage time.
Waiting to know when Ter Stegen will be able to return under the three sticks of the Barça club, for now it will be Iñaki Peña who will continue to hold down the Barça goal.
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