August 07, (THEWILL) — Barcelona have removed Marc-Andre ter Stegen from his captaincy role amidst a growing dispute with the German goalkeeper over his injury status, as the Catalan giants attempt to register new signings within La Liga’s financial constraints. The club announced the decision on Thursday following disciplinary proceedings against the 33-year-old, who has been at odds with management regarding the duration of his recovery from knee surgery.
The conflict stems from Barcelona’s acquisition of 24-year-old goalkeeper, Joan Garcia, from local rivals, Espanyol, last month, with the club having planned to sell Ter Stegen to free up wages for both Garcia and Manchester United loanee Marcus Rashford. However, additional surgery was required to repair a multiple-knee ligament injury sustained last season eliminated the possibility of a transfer during the close season, forcing Barcelona to explore alternative financial solutions.
Barcelona requested that Ter Stegen agree to a long-term medical leave that would enable the club to remove 80% of his wages from their ledger until mid-season, thereby complying with Financial Fair Play regulations. The situation escalated when Ter Stegen stated on social media that he would be sidelined for merely three months, whereas La Liga rules stipulate a minimum four-month absence to qualify as a long-term injury.
“FC Barcelona announces that, following the disciplinary proceedings opened against player Marc-Andre ter Stegen, and until this matter is definitively resolved, the club, in agreement with the Sports Management and the technical staff, has decided to temporarily remove him as captain of the first team,” read the official club statement. “During this period, the duties of first captain will be assumed by the current vice-captain, Ronald Araujo.”
This latest controversy underscores the persistent financial challenges facing Barcelona, who have struggled for several seasons to register new players whilst adhering to La Liga’s financial regulations. The club are scheduled to begin their La Liga title defence on August 16 at Mallorca, with the captaincy situation adding to the uncertainty surrounding their campaign.
Jude Obafemi is a versatile senior Correspondent at THEWILL Newspapers, excelling in sourcing, researching, and delivering sports news stories for both print and digital publications.
